Lux and Ace.

When her eyes opened, she found herself lying on a four-poster bed (something she never had in her life before) covered in blankets. Her head was now throbbing and she felt weak. She looked around to find out where she was. The room was pretty dark and certainly smaller than the room she had been in earlier. She was about to try and get out of the bed when she noticed something she hadn't earlier. A girl sitting in a chair at the foot of her bed, smiled at her.

This new girl had golden hair but dark brown eyes. She had pouted lips and a freckly face. She wasn't very tall but she still looked the same age as Verity but then she reminded herself that stars were ageless and lived for millions of years. So she couldn't be compared to her. There was nothing in the girl that suggested that she looked beautiful. But she looked very friendly and understanding. Not sharp or brave or intelligent or badass. Yet she was not weak either.

Verity couldn't understand what to make of her. She had never met another girl like her so she had no idea what to say to her. But apparently the other girl solved all of her problems. She rose from her chair and walked over to Verity's side as soon as she saw her wake up. She extended her hand and said, "Good evening! I am your nurse for the time being. I mean till Dr Ace Mines comes. I am worried as to why he is getting late."

Verity looked puzzled. She had never even heard of such things as doctors before. But "Who are you?" was all she asked. The girl looked at her with narrowed eyes and an odd smile as if considering her reply carefully. Then her expression cleared slightly and she said, "I could actually ask you the same question since you are not supposed to be here."

Verity swallowed hard before replying, "I am Verity. Daughter of the great star Ramandu and a believer of the Lord Aslan."

The other girl stared at her with half confusion and as if she had come from an alien planet. "I….. I don't understand you. Great star…. Did you mean a rock star or a pop star or just a celebrity? And who is Lord Aslan? Is he a land lord or a king?" she asked. Verity looked at her as if she had been hit by a wave of cold water. She sucked in her breath sharply. What are rock stars and pop stars? She thought in astonishment. But what bothered her most was the fact that the other girl didn't know Aslan! In Narnia at least, every born creature knew his name. For years and years and from generation to generation his legend has been passed on and this girl didn't know who he was! How shocking is that?

The girl had been studying her all this time pretty curiously. Verity forced herself to get out of the bed. She stood in front of the other girl and spoke defiantly, "Look here lady, you have insulted the Lord Aslan and no one will forgive you for that. But now I want to go home and you are going to let me. Understand?"

She opened the door and was about to walk out in the passage when she banged straight into someone and fell down on the floor. Verity sat up and looked up to see a boy standing in the doorway looking totally astonished. He stared at her with his wide protuberant eyes. She noticed that his hair was spiked and stood straight up so that it looked like a porcupine in its full form. Besides, its color which was reddish-orange suggested that he might have been washing his hair with tomato soup. He wore glasses over his turquoise colored eyes. His nose was slightly crooked and he too like the other girl had freckles over his face.

He was skinny and short. He was even shorter than the girl. Verity stood up angrily dusting her flowing, shining dress. "Now who are you?" she barked.

The boy almost stuttered before answering, "Didn't Lux tell you anything before?"

The girl who was apparently Lux came forward and said, "I did tell her about you but she was going on blabbing some nonsense. By the way, her father is I think a rock star. She also said that her name is Verity. Am I right?"

Lux turned to look at Verity. While the poor patient felt all her anger inflate like a balloon. She flopped down on the bed almost on the verge of crying. She wanted to be angry with them but she couldn't get. What the boy and girl were talking about made no sense to her and now it seemed that what she was talking about equally made no sense to them. She felt hopeless and homesick now.

She turned to look at the boy and said, "So… it means you are that Doctor or something this girl was talking about, right? I don't remember your name. What is it again?"

"Ace Mines is my name. But I am not a doctor. It's just that His Majesty has appointed me apparently to take care of hurt and sick people. I don't think though that he cares if anyone falls sick. All he thinks about is his profit." The boy replied wistfully. Lux who had been grinning before looked a little sternly at the boy.

"That's enough for the time being Ace. We must first listen from Verity. Her story is more important. By the way, I am Lux Mines. I am Ace's elder sister. Now calm down and please tell us your story. How did you come here?" The girl's tone seemed to change as quickly as a chameleon might change colours. There didn't seem any other way to get out of this place but to tell the whole story to Lux and Ace Mines as clearly as she possibly could. Verity quickly bit back her tears and sat up straight. She took a deep breath before beginning to speak. She realized that her voice was unwavering, calm and controlled.

"I don't know what a rock star or pop star is but my father is a Star. A real star like the one which is seen in the night sky. I am a Starlet. I am a young star. I live on an island near Narnia or rather at the beginning of the end of the world. My father is now almost a dying star and I am the only one he has to spend time with these days. I know for all these years of my life I had been craving for friends but I guess I was wrong. I must go home now."

"But why did you faint like that? How did you manage to appear in locked room?" Ace asked. Verity sighed. Lux looked at her narrowing her eyes again. There was silence. Then Verity spoke, "I just said that I am a star. Sunlight outside the window was so strong that it weakened me considerably. As for appearing in the locked room, I don't know it myself. I was peacefully sitting on the seashore and I heard a noise and I went to check what is was and after that I only remember that I fell on the wooden flooring of that room. I tried to get out of the room but I heard voices so I hid behind the curtains and then I fainted. Happy?"

Lux and Ace looked at each other as if trying to make sense of what Verity said. There was another silence in the room but this one was pretty long. Verity got up and looked around at the room. She noticed things she hadn't before. There was a writing desk in one corner of the room (which Verity had no idea what it was) and beside it was a small window through which moonlight poured in the room. A sudden breeze made her almost feel at home but she reminded herself not to feel like that. She looked down at herself and then realized how much she was glowing in the dark. She spread out her arms and she felt a cool blue flame light her up. It was nothing new to her. This happened every night and she twinkled like a star. Bright and fresh and strong each night.

Her eyes drifted over to Lux and Ace who were gaping at her, their eyes wide and full of - horror or astonishment - she couldn't tell but she lowered her arms. "So? Now do you believe me? I am a young star." She felt herself smile at them almost warmly as she said this. Her anger melted as easily as ice melts after heating. Somehow she knew one thing, walking with royal folk might not be so good as knowing that there still can be someone who will believe her other than her father. She suddenly felt the urge to call them her friends though she felt thoroughly astonished with herself for that. "Now how about you two tell me your story? After all even I want to know more about you and your world."

"What is there to tell?" Lux asked.

"Everything. Starting from the meaning of rock stars and what this place is." Verity said with a grin.

"Well, then it is going to take a long time. I don't think we have so much of time though. I shall tell it to you later but you must rest now. We have to go. We will meet you tomorrow evening. Till then goodbye and goodnight."

Verity frowned as if she did not like the idea that she would be spending an entire day in the room but said nothing. Ace walked out of the room and Lux followed him closing the door behind her. She suddenly felt lonely and lost again.