Câlin and Corné

“Are you ready, Câlin?” Twinkle Star asked her daughter.
 Her daughter was taking an unusual long time to get ready. Of course, she had told her daughter this morning that they were going to see Chifre and Corné. Not that her daughter would not have been able to guess, but she thought it was only fair to tell her. Was her daughter nervous of meeting her cousin? After all, Câlin and Corné had lived their entire life together until Câlin came to live with Twinkle Star.

“I am ready.” Câlin said, coming down the stairs. Twinkle Star noticed Câlin had tied her hair with a ribbon with a lace flower on it, something she got from Kiyoi after Meran was born, to thank her for all her help. It looked really cute on her.
“You want to show you ribbon to Corné?” Twinkle Star smiled. Câlin nodded.
“Let’s go, then. We must not let them wait.”

Twinkle Star left the house and Câlin followed. Kiyoi was inside with their newborn daughter, trying to get her to sleep for her nap. He would most likely fail, though. Meran did not like naps. Still, they kept trying. Their girl needed her sleep, after all. Twinkle Star walked down the path, to the forest. The young leaves were enjoying the sunlight fully, and the flowers were blossoming on the ground. She could hear Fiume softly flowing a little further down.

She did not know exactly where to go, but she was sure Chifre would find them in the end. Sure enough ,when they had walked for a little more than five minutes, Câlin stopped walking.
“They’re here.” She said. Twinkle Star turned, and she saw the unicorn and her daughter appear from out of the forest
. “Good afternoon, Twinkle Star, Câlin.”
“Good afternoon.” Twinkle Star replied.
“Hello, aunt Chifre.” Câlin said.

“Hello there, Câlin. It has been a while.” Chifre said to the girl.
“Hello, Câlin.” Corné said.
Twinkle Star once again realized how much larger Corné actually was. She almost looked like a young adult rather than a child.

“I have seen a delightful spot near the river, only a short walk from here. Shall we go there?” Chifre proposed.
Everybody agreed, so they followed her. Sure enough, it was a nice space. There was a large open area with short grass next to the river, and a little further down there was a fallen tree they could sit on. The sunlight was dancing on the softly moving water while the soft breeze played with the leaves above them.

“Why don’t you two go play by the river?” Chifre said to the children. They agreed silently and took off to the open space, while she and Twinkle Star sat down on the tree. Câlin soon took off to inspect the various flowers, while Corné just sat down next to the river bank and played with the water.
“They don’t seem to be playing together.” Twinkle Star commented to Chifre.
“No… they never used to do that, really.” Chifre said.

“No? I thought you said they were friends.” Twinkle Star asked surprised, remembering the two girls playing in the snow together when she last saw Chifre.
“Hm… No. Those two… they, until Câlin came to live with you, have never been apart. Câlin was there when Corné was born, and they grew up together. They did not know a world without the other. They were used to each other. But… I think their personalities are different. Well, of course they are, but I think they are different in a way that they don’t really care about the other being there or not. They’ll never fight, but they will never have fun together, either. They did things together if they both wanted to do it but I will never go so far as to say they actually played together. Still, I think they are both happy to see each other again.”

Twinkle Star watched as she saw Câlin telling Corné about one of the plants. Corné did not seem to particularly care, but she listened anyway. They were indeed a strange couple.
“So, Chifre… what is it you came here for?” Twinkle Star asked the unicorn, growing tired of the random chitchat.
She could hardly sleep last night, wondering what the unicorn might have to say. She had to give in to sleep in the end though, unable to figure it out.

“Right… There are things happening in the world, Twinkle Star. Me and Corné… we went back to Adame forest, after we left Câlin in your care. But soon, things started to happen around us. Darkness took over, and we knew we had no choice but to leave once more, to set out and discover the truth behind this all. We soon found it all out… what was happening in the Friendship Lands, what had happened to Câlin. And, in the end, Aras’ defeat and the revelation of the two princesses… Taira and her sister.

Câlin, she… did exactly that which I was afraid of. I do not blame you, Twinkle Star. I should have told you that even though he was looking for her, she would go looking for him, too. After all, Aras is her father, and it was only natural for her to be curious about him. I do think she got her answers though.

But, in the end, Aras was defeated because you were able to break the mind seal on Taira and Rain. Taira was able to defeat the one who had confined her to darkness for so long, and she broke free. Aras was gone, the darkness defeated. Everyone was relieved, but I saw no reason to. I saw it, the same night that Aras was defeated. The fading of the first star in the sky.”

“The fading of the stars has to do with that? How?” Twinkle Star asked.
“Because… Aras was, in the end, a Guardian, born to the great Goddess Vitalia. He was the last Guardian alive on this planet and when he was defeated, no matter how necessary it was… some things changed. The link between the earth and the heavens was closed.” Chifre explained.
 Twinkle Star did not stop to think about how Chifre knew all this. It sounded ridiculously real.

“However… I have found out your family is now on a mission to restore this link.” Chifre said.
“My family? How?” Twinkle Star asked confused.
“Apparently… they got hold of a holy stone, and they received a message from it. They are to gather the five holy stones and place them together on a day five years from now. The day of the daylight star… in which the last winged one is to summon the guardians and restore the link.”

A holy stone… Twinkle Star knew exactly what stone Chifre was talking about. The round stone that their aunt Damina had once found. She still remembered the stone talking to her in the desert oasis. .
 “Find her, Twinkle Star. She is out there… The true heir to the throne… Find her, before it is too late…”
The copper stone… But wasn’t it lost a while ago? Had they found it once more?

The day of the daylight star… the last winged one…
“You know who this prophecy is talking about, do you not?” Chifre asked her. Of course she knew. There was no mistake.
“I have to… do this.” Twinkle Star said softly. Chifre nodded.
“It seems so. But they have only found one of the stones. Hikary, or Rain, send letters to all the queens of the continent, asking for help. They have no idea where to look for them, Twinkle Star.”

“You think they will not find them?” Twinkle Star asked.
“I… don’t know. They need help. It is the task given to their… to our family. I will do what I can to help them from the shadows, but even I have to admit I have no clue on where to find the stones.” Chifre admitted.
While Twinkle Star looked at the two children play, she realized there was a task waiting for her. Five years into the future… But not now. The next five years…

“Chifre… I will do my task. You know I will. But I cannot… I cannot run off again. I need to be here now. I need to raise my daughters, I need to… rest.” Twinkle Star admitted desperately.
“I know. I did not come here to ask for your help in the search for the stones. I just wanted you to be aware of the fact that your family will need you once more. Your peace and quiet can not last forever, Twinkle Star. Knowing that, I’d say enjoy it to the fullest.”
Twinkle Star nodded. “I will. Don’t worry, I will.”

There was nothing else to say. The two women sat silently on the tree for a while, looking at their children play with the water. Birds were chirping in the high trees while the breeze played with the leaves. The peaceful rays of sunlight were so different from the chaos in Twinkle Star’s head. Of course, she had known all along that there would be an end to this life one day. She was who she was, and she was not meant to live like this forever, no matter how much she wanted to.

But maybe… after everything was done, after she had done her final job in this ridiculous story, she could go back here again. She could live here once more and see her children grow up, see them explore the world and teach them everything they needed to know before they could take care of themselves. And then she would live here with Kiyoi, until the twilight finally called for her. That was the only future she desired.

“It is time for us to go.” Chifre said while she elegantly got off the tree.
“I see.” Twinkle Star said, hopping off the tree herself.
“Take care, Twinkle Star. Enjoy your life to the fullest. Watch your daughter grow, because they always seem to grow a little faster than you actually want them to.” Chifre said smiling, while looking at Corné.
“I will. I promise.” Twinkle Star said. “You take care, too.” She said to the unicorn.

“I will. Don’t worry. May we meet again, Twinkle Star.” Chifre said.
“May we meet again.” Twinkle Star agreed. Corné had noticed her mother getting up, for Twinkle Star heard her mutter a goodbye to Câlin.
“Goodbye, Corné.” Câlin said to the unicorn child.
Corné trotted after her mother towards the path, and they soon disappeared between the trees.

“Did aunt Chifre say anything nice?” Câlin asked while she walked towards Twinkle Star.
“She… said some interesting things, yes. But nothing you should worry about. She was curious how you were doing.”
“I am fine.” Câlin said sourly. Twinkle Star smiled.
“I know you are dear, I know you are. Now, do you want to play some more or shall we go back home?”

Câlin pondered over this for a little.
“I want to show you a few flowers before we go home, if that is okay. Dad showed them to me yesterday. They’re really rare.” Câlin said.
Twinkle Star smiled. “Of course that is okay. Show me where they are.”
 She followed her girl back to the road that led them a little deeper into the woods. Soon they encountered one of the flowers, which had blue and white leaves, next to the road.

While her daughter told her everything she knew about the flower, Twinkle Star’s thoughts floated back to Chifre’s words. She would enjoy her life to the fullest. She would see her daughters grow up, she would listen to Câlin’s endless talks about flowers and trees and plants, and she would see what kind of girl Meran would become. A rather active one, she was sure.

Yes, she would enjoy it all… This was her home. This was where she belonged and where she always would return, no matter what would happen. This forest, the river, the little wooden house on the border, the small village… This was her home.