Medina’s inheritance

Twinkle Star actually blinked several times before she realized the light in her head did not come from the outside. She just stared at Marana, who in her turn kept staring at the ground.
“The Queen’s Crown.” She didn’t even believe she was actually saying those words.
“Yes… I’ve sworn to protect it with my life. But it belongs to Regina, does it not?”
Marana seemed very sad when she said these words, but Twinkle Star knew that somehow, finding that which you thought would be lost forever brought more feelings than just happiness.

“Yes… I guess…”
Twinkle Star wondered if she should tell Marana about her mother’s old crown… the crown of the heir, made into a new Queen’s Crown and stolen not long after. But there seemed little reason to dwell on that now; it was stolen, and probably gone forever. And it seemed so insignificant now, if Marana was telling the truth. The Queen’s Crown… it wasn’t lost in the darkness that now covered the Old Lands, but it was… right here. And Marana, she knew how her grandmother had passed on.

“So how did she… I mean, were you with her when she… passed away?” Twinkle Star asked.
“Yes… yes, I was. She lived, for two days. In the mountains. We had found a cave, where we could hide from the heat coming from the country below us. She was seriously injured on her belly and legs. She knew she was going to die there, but she fought for so long… She wanted to go back, to save those that had survived like us. I think she felt she cheated on her country, on her ponies… because she lived while they had died.

She asked me to burn her body, after she had passed away. She wanted her body to leave the planet like those of her ponies had done. She believed it was the end… of the kingdom, of the dynasty. If only she had known… Regina lived. I sat by her all that time, trying to make her feel as little pain as possible. But she had to give in, eventually… She handed me the crown, and made me promise to protect it with my life and to never let it fall into the hoofs of any pony that is not related by blood. And when I promised her I would she… fell asleep for the last time.”

Medina’s only remaining possession… it was her dying wish that Marana would protect it. Was that what Marana had been doing ever since?
“What happened to you, after you burned her body?” Twinkle Star asked, and Marana sighed deeply, taking in the fresh air of the early morning.
“I strayed in the mountains for a couple of days. I saw some other survivors one day, a group of three ponies… But I didn’t dare to approach them. Back then, I felt as if I would never be able to tell anyone their queen had died.

So I decided to leave the mountains, to leave my old home forever. I took the crown and fled, avoiding the roads. I ended up in the village south from here. When I arrived, I was totally exhausted from the traveling, the lack of food and all the emotions I had. An old man took me in. I had to do some chores for him, but when he died, he left me his little house outside the village. I’ve lived here ever since, hiding from the outside world… To live up to the Queen’s last wish.”

“To protect the crown… Is it here?” Twinkle Star asked, getting curious about the crown. She had seen it on her grandmother’s head a couple of times… the large, fire red crown, with the golden stone in the centre, as if the sun itself had given a spark of it’s light to sit in the crown. But she had never seen it up close, and she had thought it lost for all these years. Besides, it was the last thing her grandmother had had, and she would love to bring that back to her mother.
“I… I’m sorry Twinkle Star, but I hope you can understand that it is not something I can tell you right now. I swore to protect it, and I will. I have to make sure you are indeed a part of the royal family. I don’t doubt your story, Twinkle Star… I just want to be absolutely sure no harm comes to the crown.”

“Of course I understand. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you totally trust me.” Twinkle Star ensured her.
“Thank you, Twinkle Star. I would love to see the crown back in the hands of those who it belongs to, I really do. It’s not mine, I’m just protecting it.” Marana said while she stood up and shook the sand off her body.
“I have to tell you,” Twinkle Star replied, “I have no idea how my mother will react to this. She loved her mother dearly, and to hear that she has passed away… Well, she knew, of course, but I guess she somewhere always hoped her mother would return to her, like I did…”

“Yes, well… let’s first find out if you are who you are, and I will show you the crown. You can decide what to do with it afterwards.”
Marana walked to her little home through the soft sand, and Twinkle Star followed her. As she peeked through the window, she could see Câlin was still asleep.
“You will need your pendant for this.” Marana said as she entered the house, and Twinkle Star slipped into the kitchen and got her pendant out of it’s little bag. She was a bit unsure what was going to happen, but she trusted Marana.

Marana motioned her to follow her, and Twinkle Star left the living room and followed Marana through the hallway into what appeared like her bedroom. There was one wooden bed with light blue blankets, and a large closet. Marana opened the closet and took out a little box. When she opened it she took out her own pendant, which was a bit different from Twinkle Stars’. It had a smaller crown on top, and it just felt less fancy. Twinkle Star knew the daughters of daughters of the queen got a pendant like this, to show their place in the dynasty.

“Well, this is something my mother taught me and my sisters. As a lesser member of the royal family, sometimes it is required that you prove that you are a member of the royal family. They just don’t always believe you. These pendants… I’m sure you know they are more than just little pretty shiny things. Now, if you are who you claim you are, the pendant will react and light up. If you’re not, it won’t respond at all.” Twinkle Star had to admit she had never heard of this method, though it did make sense. But she had never had to use it before. Nobody ever questioned who she was, but then again, to question the identity of a daughter of the heir, that would have been considered a great insult.

“So how do they respond? What makes them do it?” She asked.
“Fiume’s water.” Marana replied, as she tied the necklace around her neck. “They put the pendant in the water and then use it to let it’s water drop on the head of the infant at their special ceremony. That way, they’re bound, the pendant and the pony. Connected through holy water.”
It did made sense, and it made Twinkle Star wonder if that was the reason her mother wanted her to get water from Fiume for Joyeux’ ceremony.
“Now, just watch what I’m doing, and repeat after me. If you really are Twinkle Star, this shouldn’t be difficult.”
“Okay.” Twinkle Star tied her necklace around her neck, too, and when she was done, Marana closed her eyes.

“I am who I claim to be, Marana daughter of Niera, daughter of the Friendship Lands, daughter of the guardians who gave me the power to protect.”
Instantly Marana’s pendant lit up, and shone in all the colors of the rainbow, and yet no color at all. Twinkle Star took a deep breath and closed her eyes as well.
“I am who I claim to be, Twinkle Star daughter of Regina, daughter of the Friendship Lands, daughter of the guardians who gave me the power to protect.”
 Twinkle Star actually squeezed her eyes even though they were closed already when the light of her pendant appeared. It shone much brighter than Marana’s, and lit up the entire room.

“Well… I guess that leaves us beyond any doubt you are Twinkle Star, Regina’s daughter.”
Marana smiled. The light of the pendant still had not faded away, so Marana had no trouble to locate the loose board on her floor. She took it out, and reached inside the floor, which apparently was hollow. She had to remove another board before she took out a large wooden box.
“I know… silly place, right?” Marana smiled weakly. “I put a spell on it, though… no one but me should be able to touch the box. I think.”

Twinkle Star somehow doubted that she would be able to pull off a spell like that, but she let it go. The crown was safe, and that was what mattered. Marana loosened her pendant and used it to open the box. When she opened the box, she removed a package folded in a blanket. She put it on her bed and began to remove the blankets.

Little by little the crown was revealed. First only a little bit of red appeared, but it wasn’t long until Twinkle Star could see the glory of the Queen’s Crown.

It somehow surprised Twinkle Star that the crown looked exactly the same as it had on her grandmother’s head. The beautiful golden stone was still in the centre, surrounded by red rays of light. It still seemed to shine a little bit of it’s own, like the crown was more than just something to show who was the queen, and Twinkle Star knew that in fact it was more than that. But it was right here, and if Twinkle Star had had any doubts up until this point, they had all faded the moment she saw the Crown. Here it was, the only crown that belonged to her mother…
“Isn’t it beautiful.” Marana said when she saw the look on Twinkle Star’s face.
“It is. I just… never thought that I would ever see this again.”

“What are you two doing?”
Both Marana and Twinkle Star literally jumped when they heard Câlin’s voice.
“Oh, Câlin, you scared us!” Twinkle Star said, while she looked at the sleeping girl standing in the doorpost.
“I didn’t mean to. You two woke me up.” She said after suppressing a yawn.
“I’m sorry, Câlin. It’s just… Marana here, she is family. Your great-grandmother’s sisters’ daughter. She has been… protecting the crown that belonged to the Queen of the old Friendship Lands. And now she’s showing it to me.” Twinkle Star explained. She could see Câlin was too sleepy to really grasp the meaning of what Twinkle Star had just said, but she was curious about the crown.

“Can I see it?” Câlin asked, and Twinkle Star agreed. Câlin entered the room and Twinkle Star pointed at the crown that was still sitting on the bed.
“Be careful now, Câlin.” Twinkle Star warned her. Câlin stared at the crown, blinking a few times.
“Wow. It’s so gorgeous.” She whispered as she got a bit closer. Câlin raised her hoof to touch the crown, but the moment Câlin and the crown connected Câlin screamed.
“Câlin!” Twinkle Star yelled, but the girl seemed to be in shock, while she still touched the crown.
 “Grab the crown!” She yelled at Marana, who quickly obeyed. Twinkle Star pulled at the little girl, who was finally able to let go.

She was breathing heavily, and the shock was clear in her eyes. Both Twinkle Star and Marana wondered what had happened, but Twinkle Star felt she was more concerned for Câlin right now.
“Câlin! Câlin, can you hear me?” Twinkle Star said softly, and she was relieved when she saw Câlin blink, and then the tears appear in Câlin’s eyes.
“I… I’m sorry, I…It just, happened…”
“Ssssh, it’s okay Câlin. Keep still now. Marana, could you please get her some water?” Twinkle Star asked, and Marana trotted out of the bedroom.
 Twinkle Star looked at the girl again, and was suddenly overwhelmed by her own feelings and her worry, and began to cry herself, too.