Return to Kiyoi

“Go ahead, Câlin. You can touch it.”
“But it’s so clear… it’s almost scary.”  Twinkle Star smiled. She could not deny that the child was right. Fiume… Twinkle Star had grown up with it, of course she wasn’t scared. But Câlin… She had never seen anything quite so pure before.
“I know it is clear, Câlin. It’s the clearest water in the entire world. That’s why it is so special. Go on, touch it.” Câlin sighed deeply and then she let her hoof softly touch the water.

“It feels really nice.” Câlin had to admit.
 “See, I told you so. And you know what, when we arrive, you can play in this river as much as you want. There will be trees, flowers, and enough space for you to make an entire garden if you wish.”
“Really? With how many flowers?” Câlin asked anxiously.
“As many as you want! Now, go clean your face honey, it’s dirty. Then, we will go on. If all goes right, we will arrive there before the sun sets.” Probably thinking of all her flowers, Câlin immediately began to wash her face.

Twinkle Star could hardly believe they were almost there. It seemed only yesterday they had left the Friendship Lands. Her mother, her sisters… what were they doing now? Were they sad because she had left, or were they relieved? And Aline… the girl who had once been her best friend. They had grown apart the last year, but after Twinkle Star had returned from Madash, she thought they might still work things out and they would be friends once more. And now Câlin had become the victim of her sadness.

She had thought about it a great deal. In fact, the thought of her old country had not left her mind the past few days. She was moving on towards a new future, leaving the old one, including everything that belonged with it, behind. She could return now to the live that she desired so much but which she forced herself to leave behind to fulfil a destiny. And the more she thought of it, the more logical it became. Maybe that was why she was born, to restore the true heir to power, to retrieve her from Aras and to prevent him from taking over the heavens and the world. And if all of that was so, then her future was all hers now.

What was more, she was sure this was the best solution for Câlin as well. She had once promised Chifre to keep her safe, and she would do so by keeping her away from the big world. Câlin had seen enough, she had been through enough. If only she had understood faster, Câlin would not have had to go through everything with her father. She had soon realized it was no god to think of what might have been if she had seen things faster. No, she had to focus on the future now.

Twinkle Star touched the water herself as well. They had only arrived at Fiume a little while ago. The delightful sensation of Fiume flowed through her body as she took a sip of the river’s water.
Well done, Twinkle Star… She smiled, knowing it was not her imagination but the river talking to her.
You did what was required of you. Now rest, and enjoy your life to the fullest.
Yes… that was exactly what she was going to do. It was her time to live happily with her daughter, and she would enjoy every second of it. No more worries… Taira and Hikary would now solve whatever there was left to solve.

As she watched Câlin wash her face, the same warm feeling that she had had over the last few days entered her body once more. She loved this girl as she would love her own daughter. They would have a wonderful live, the three of them… if Kiyoi wanted them to live with him. It had all felt so natural, to return to him, but now that she saw the border of his forest ahead of her she was no longer sure what to think. Would he accept them without any questions?

And there was the matter of Junai. Of course Câlin did not kill him, but she had been there, and on the wrong side of the conflict. Twinkle Star felt obligated to tell Kiyoi the truth about what happened. If she really wanted to be with him, she had to be honest with him and with herself. She would have to explain to Kiyoi what exactly had happened and what Câlin’s role had been. She furiously hoped he would not react the way her mother had. She did not expect him to, but then again, he had not expected it from her mother either.

“Are you done?” She asked when Câlin dried her face. The girl nodded. It was getting close to noon already but they still had quite a bit ahead of them. Twinkle Star checked their surroundings once more but she did not see anyone. There was no one there… It seemed they could fly, but the landscape was still too open. She did not dare to do it, not until they reached the border of the forest.
“We will walk until we reach the forest, Câlin.”

The girl did not reply but simply followed Twinkle Star. The land around them was green, with high grass and bushes and trees scattered al over the place. The darkness that Aras had forced Hikary to create had not stretched this far and fall was able to develop at it’s own slow pace. The trees were yellow and red-brown, but the bushes seemed to be mostly green still. Câlin had been so happy to be back into the green world again. She loved anything that grew on the earth, and it crushed her to see something die. Yet Twinkle Star felt she had to realize nothing lived forever, not even the mighty trees.

After an hour or so of walking Twinkle Star could see the forest ahead of them. It would still be a while before they reached it, but the river was too close to the main road now, so they could not fly. With every step they got closer to the forest her heart began to beat a little faster. The forest she once longed so much to call home… Would it be that really soon now?

When they finally reached the forest the sun was already on it’s way down. The days were getting short indeed… The forest looked a lot different from the last time Twinkle Star had seen it. The trees were losing their already yellowed leaves rapidly and most had already fallen on the ground, returning to the earth, which left a strange but somehow beautiful smell. Fortunately, they had to start flying, as there was no way they could continue to follow the river on foot. So Twinkle Star and Câlin made their wings appear and lifted themselves into the sky.

Once above the trees Twinkle Star could see how big the forest actually was. The river was quite close to the forests’ southern border, but it stretched northwards for quite a while.
“It’s so beautiful. I hope we will live in a place like this.” Câlin said while she inspected the forest.
“Câlin, this is where we will live, only on the other side.” Twinkle Star smiled when she saw Câlin’s delighted face.
“It’s wonderful.”

Câlin smiled the entire time they flew over the forest, even though the clouds above them became darker and darker. The only true green there came from the river that somehow was able to keep fall away. Well, Fiume had always been like that. The beautiful river… she looked forward to live so close to it. Would it continue to talk to her, even if she was nothing but an ordinary girl living in a small house by a forest? Or would it ignore her from now on? Well, it probably would not. For the river, she would always remain Princess Twinkle Star.

Twinkle Star still feared the clouds, and so she was even relieved to find they were only rain clouds, bringing water to the land. Unfortunately Câlin was unable to fly in heavy rain so they were forced to land, but Twinkle Star had already seen they were really close. Even in the darkness of the rain she had no problem in locating the little path Kiyoi used that was close to  the river. They landed on it and Câlin gasped when she saw all the big trees from the ground. “Come, Câlin, this way. It is not too far anymore. We will be dry and warm soon.” She said to the girl, who reluctantly followed and kept looking at all the trees and plants.

What would Câlin say when she saw Kiyoi’s shower? Well, she would definitely enjoy it, and Twinkle Star was sure she would do so again herself. The path was so familiar, even though it looked completely different in fall, in the wet darkness the rain and the falling night created. She began to walk even faster when the trees cleared. She clearly remembered her impressions the first time she had followed Kiyoi along this path. It was obvious the forest was going to end soon. And she had been right, that time, for only a short while later the path had stopped and had turned into a square, on which Kiyoi’s house stood. Her memory had not failed her, for a few moments later the forest indeed ended and the path led them to a square. On the other side stood Kiyois’s little house, hidden by the darkness of the trees that were standing behind it. The only thing that revealed it was indeed a house was the faint light coming towards them from behind one of the windows.

So he was home… Kiyoi was there, on the other side of those walls. The feelings she had banished from her memory because she had considered them to be too painful for too long were now floating back to her. His touch, his smell, the cosy feeling of his house… Would it soon be hers once more? She did not dare to believe it, for now that she was so close she suddenly began to doubt everything. Would he even remember her? It was all so long ago…

“Is this it? It’s really nice.” Câlin whispered.
“Yes… yes it is.” Twinkle Star whispered back. It was really nice… small, but warm and comfortable. Her home… if Kiyoi still wanted her. How lovely it would be for all of them to live there…
“So why are we still standing here?” Câlin asked, curious about her new home. Twinkle Star did not know herself. Was she afraid that he might turn her down? Or afraid of the future that would start the moment she would knock on that door? But… that future had already started the moment she had left the castle of the Friendship Lands.
“No reason, Câlin. Let’s go.” She whispered to the girl, and they slowly moved across the square towards the one story house.

Twinkle Star hesitated once more before she knocked on the door. Apparently it took Cain way too long because she knocked when she realized Twinkle Star was doubting once more.
“Câlin!” Twinkle Star hissed, but the girl smiled.
“Someone had to do it.”  She had a good point, and Twinkle Star was somehow relieved that Câlin had done it. There was no way back now.

They heard some noise coming from the other side before they heard hoofsteps coming towards the door. Twinkle Star’s heart was beating so fast she feared she might actually faint right there. But she did not, and a moment later the door opened. Kiyoi’s face appeared on the other side and a second later they heard a pot crash that Kiyoi had been carrying.
“Hishi… I mean, Twinkle Star… you…”

Kiyoi had hardly changed a bit. His face was still as sweet as ever, his hair the same color, and the smell that came out of his house almost made Twinkle Star want to cry because it was so sweet. The only thing that had changed was that he had become more masculine, somehow. His body was more muscled and his face a little more serious. He was no longer a boy just as she was no longer a girl. He was a man, and she was a woman, and they both realized it at that very moment.

“Kiyoi… I… I… Don’t know what to say, I mean, I do…” But before Twinkle Star could explain Kiyoi silenced her by kissing her. Twinkle Star had never felt quite so much at home somewhere as that moment. She was there, she was safe, her daughter was with her. For the very first time in her life she felt she was completely allowed to be happy and she enjoyed every second of it.

“I… don’t want to leave you. Ever again. I… love you, Kiyoi.” She confessed when he finally released her. “I love you too. I have since the moment I met you and I never gave up hoping you might one day return to me. Do you want to come in?” Kiyoi asked, and Twinkle Star gladly accepted.
“Oooh…” Kiyoi whispered when he saw Câlin.
“Oh, Kiyoi. May I introduce you to my… daughter, Câlin.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, little one. I am sure you want to come in and get some hot chocolate, right?” Kiyoi smiled.

Twinkle Star’s heart leapt. She had not dared to think that he would accept Câlin at once like this. She would explain everything to him later. About Câlin, about Junai. But for now, it was enough that she was there, with the one person she loved, and with her daughter. This was the only place in the world where she wanted to be and she would never leave it again. It was her home.