Câlin’s disappearance

Twinkle Star found herself actually whistling while she walked through the corridors of the castle. She had woken up while the rays of the sun were warming her face, and when she had looked outside she had seen the small white clouds surfing in the sky. Was the weather finally returning to normal? Well, it would be about time. She had seen the puddles that covered the fields now had already shrunk.

Softly, she knocked on Câlin’s bedroom door, and waited for a reply. She had gotten up late. Well, it had been a fun evening, yesterday… After she had given Câlin a long bath they had had a very luxurious dinner, given to them as a thank you from a farmer who had gotten permission to extend his lands. As usual, Fleur had not been able to handle even one glass of wine and had gotten really tipsy… but she had missed most of that as Câlin had wanted to go to bed early and when she had returned Fleur was off to her bed as well.

Câlin still hadn’t replied to her knocking, which surprised Twinkle Star. She had gone to bed so early, Twinkle Star was sure Câlin would be already up by now. She knocked once again and then opened the door. Inside, she saw the curtains were still closed. Her bed was a mess, and the thin summer blanket was lying on the ground. But Câlin was nowhere to be seen.

“She must be out already…” Twinkle Star muttered while she picked up the blanket. It didn’t happen often, but sometimes Tsuyo would get Câlin early in the morning to help her in the gardens. It was probably so this morning as well, to see what they could restore. Twinkle Star decided to fix Câlin’s bed first before she would go looking for her. After all, Câlin was probably having fun, playing with the earth.

When she was done cleaning the room and opening the curtains and window, she left the room and went downstairs. When she passed Ivy’s room, the door flung open and both Ivy and Twinkle Star startled.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Twinkle Star, I totally didn’t hear you there.”
“It’s okay. You on your way downstairs, too?” She asked while Ivy closed her bedroom door.

“Yes, going to have some breakfast. Listen, Twinkle Star…” Ivy paused as if not sure what to say, “About our talk the other day… thank you.”
Twinkle Star blinked. Because of the accident with Câlin yesterday she had all but forgotten her conversation with Ivy.
“Oh, really Ivy, no problem at all. And I meant what I said, if you need anything at all, please do let me know. I’ll help you wherever I can.” Ivy smiled gratefully as they walked down the stairs.

When they entered the hallway, they heard noises coming from the other side. As they got closer they ran into Fleur who was coming out of the kitchen.
 “What’s all this about?” Ivy asked when she saw how rushed Fleur was.
“Aline has arrived. I’ve got to bring tea and cookies because Tsuyo isn’t here!” Fleur said as she realized she wasn’t carrying tea or cookies, and she rushed back into the kitchen.

Aline… Even though Twinkle Star knew the moment she arrived here that some day she had to face Aline, she hadn’t thought it would be so soon. In fact, she hadn’t even thought about her all that much. And she would see her so soon, now…
“Shall we go greet her?” Ivy said, excited, and Twinkle Star nodded reluctantly. At least she was pretty sure Câlin was away with Tsuyo now.

They walked on through the corridor towards the throne room, and when they approached they could already hear the voices of Junai and Aline coming through the open door. So her husband was here, too… Somehow, it didn’t comfort Twinkle Star at all. Her heart was pounding when they entered the room.

Aline was standing in front of her mother, happily smiling. Junai was standing next to her.
“Ah, Ivy, Twinkle Star. I take it you come to greet Aline?” Their mother said when she noticed her two daughters in the hallway.
“Yes. Welcome, Aline. It’s good to see you.” Ivy smiled and she approached Aline to give her a hug. Twinkle Star couldn’t believe herself when she felt the spark of jealousy inside her, because that was not something she could do now. This was supposedly her best friend, standing in front of her, and she felt so much like a stranger, somehow.

“It is good to see you, too, Ivy.” Aline’s sweet voice said to her sister.
When they let go of each other, Aline’s eyes met Twinkle Star’s. What was going on in her head Twinkle Star couldn’t even begin to guess, but Aline smiled politely.
 “It is good to see you again, Twinkle Star.” She said forced.
“It is good to see you, too.” Twinkle Star replied, and she hoped she did not sound to formal.

For a moment, the air in the room felt tense. Nobody really knew what to say. Twinkle Star looked at Junai and suddenly realized how much he looked like his brother. Did he, or were her memories getting blended? But she did not get time to think about it for long, as her mother began to speak.
“Ivy, Twinkle Star, why won’t you two help Junai and Aline bring their bags to their rooms, while I will have a brunch prepared? I will show you the crown then, Aline.”
 “Yes, that is fine, mother.” Ivy replied before Twinkle Star could speak up.

“Great. So it will be, then. Ivy, do you know where Tsuyo is?” Ivy shook her head.
“No, mother. Fleur said she was out, probably with Câlin. I’m sure Fleur will do it for you, and one of the other maids, if she can find them.”
Their mother agreed, though she looked a bit puzzled that Tsuyo was out. But she allowed them to go, and while her hoofs felt like rocks Twinkle Star followed the others out of the room.

While Aline and Ivy started some casual talk about how the journey had been, Twinkle Star lagged behind. She didn’t feel like casual talk at all. How could she? When they passed a window Twinkle Star looked in the garden, but there was no sign of Câlin or Tsuyo. Where had Tsuyo taken her? They climbed up the stairs and walked towards the guest bedrooms, where Aline and Junai always slept.

“So, Twinkle Star, how has your journey been?” Junai suddenly asked and it took Twinkle Star a while to register he was talking to her.
“Oh, eh, it was fine, thank you.” She replied as politely as possible.
“Did Câlin enjoy it, too?”
“Oh, yes, she loves to travel. She used to do so, all the time, before… she came to live with me. I promised her we would go again next year.”

“Sounds like fun!” Junai said, honestly enthusiastic.
They had arrived at the guestroom, and Junai apologized while he brought their bag inside. Ivy went with him, but Aline lacked behind. Twinkle Star was unsure of what to do. Should she start about the fight, should she apologize? Or was Aline still mad at her, or should she start about something completely different? But before she had it figured out, Câlin began to talk softly.

“Twinkle Star… I am sorry… for all the things I said to you, before you left. I should never have said them. I guess I was just…”
“No, really, Aline.” Twinkle Star interrupted the pink haired girl. “Please. I should be the one to apologize. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did.”
Yet, as expected, Aline shook her head.
“No, Twinkle Star. I was wrong. I am afraid I was just… jealous, that once again I was not the one to accompany you on your journey. I felt left behind…”

Twinkle Star blinked a few times. Of all the things she had expected her friend to say, it was definitely not this.
“I didn’t know you felt that way… I thought you were happy like this, with Junai, and your new position…”
She whispered, feeling stupid for not realizing her friend’s true feelings sooner. Her anger felt so silly, now…

“I know. I mean, I am happy here. I love Junai, and I am really excited about becoming steward. But the first journeys with you, Twinkle Star… they opened my eyes to the world. You showed me all that was out there. And I was so grateful for that… it made me who I am today. And I was so jealous… someone else was getting that part now. I wanted to go with you again, I wanted to see if there were more parts of the world that I hadn’t seen yet, and maybe, some parts of myself that I hadn’t seen yet…”

Aline sighed deeply and fell silent. Twinkle Star didn’t know what to say. She felt silly, and guilty, that their travels together… for her they had never been something more than that it was something she simply had to do, and Aline had just come along, serving her own purpose. Yes, they had become friends in that time, but Twinkle Star had never thought she had changed Aline to who she was now. But she wasn’t so sure all of a sudden whether this change was something she liked. Didn’t she wonder so many times what had happened to the Aline she knew, her old friend? Had she really changed her, and had she really created that weird gap between them that somehow still didn’t feel fixed?

But, still, she felt so glad that Aline had spoken those words to her. Maybe they could close it again, somehow…
“Oh Aline. I just don’t know what to say. I never thought those travels meant so much to you. But you don’t need them to discover yourself, or to be my friend. But now that I know it means so much to you, I will make sure that if I ever set out again, you will be coming with me. I promise.”
“Oh, Twinkle Star…” Aline whispered.

Intuitively Twinkle Star hugged her friend. It felt good, to finally touch her again… She had been worried about this moment for so long. But their moment was interrupted by some noise coming from downstairs. “Sounds like Tsuyo is back.” Aline commented, and even though Twinkle Star wondered how Aline knew this, she apologized herself and went downstairs to meet her and Câlin.

She saw Tsuyo in the hallway talking to a stressed out Fleur, and she guessed her mother had already told Fleur about the lunch. Her poor little sister, having to do all these chores when Tsuyo was away… With a smile she realized how different Fleur’s childhood had been from her own. She did not see Câlin, but she was probably outside taking care of her little garden.

“Hey, Tsuyo, where have you been with Câlin?” She asked, smiling. But her heart froze when Tsuyo only looked confused.
“I’m sorry, Twinkle Star, but I haven’t seen Câlin at all today. I’ve been to the river all by myself.”
“You mean, she hasn’t been with you? But then where is she? I haven’t seen her all day!” Twinkle Star panicked. Where was her little girl?
“I don’t know… but we’ll go look for her as soon as possible, okay? I’m sure the others will help us.” Tsuyo said, noticing how scared Twinkle Star suddenly was.

They heard a scream coming from the throne room, and Twinkle Star jumped. Câlin? She rushed to the throne room, but she only saw her mother staring at some empty box.
“What is it, mother? Was it you that screamed so?” She asked, and her mother, looking paler every second, nodded.
“Why?” Twinkle Star asked.

Her mother simply pointed at the empty box in front of her, and Twinkle Star didn’t get it at first. It was only when Fleur had entered the room and gasped so loud Twinkle Star understood what was kept in the box.

The Crown… The Queen’s Crown was gone.