Chapter 3: Unwritten
After breakfast, Luna and Finn raced to the bridge and Anna and Gale followed close behind.
"Why does she want to see us? Especially with Luna?" Gale thought aloud.
"All that was said to Finn was that Sephia wanted to talk to us." Anna relayed Finn's message to him, "Your guess is as good as mine on why Luna is needed."
"Any speculations?" Gale's brow furrowed.
"I'm afraid not my love." Anna sighed and ran ahead to Luna and Finn. The three of them were laughing and carrying on at the bridge. Gale stayed further back and pondered on the issue at hand.
"Mama," Luna tugged on her mother's pant leg, "Why are we seeing Miss Goddess?"
Anna picked up Luna and propped her on her hip, "It's a surprise sweetie."
A surprise for all of us. Gale glumly entered Anna's mind.
"Will I like the surprise?" Luna asked cutely.
"Of course sweetie." Anna kissed Luna's forehead. Please stay positive for our daughter Gale. It's her birthday.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Gale whispered into Anna's ear and kissed her cheek.
"Eww..." Luna scrunched her face together at the sight of her parent's affection.
Gale laughed and kissed Luna's head before messing up her hair, "What are we waiting for? We have a goddess to see."
The family crossed the bridge and headed towards the entrance of the Goddess Springs through the Garmon Mines district. Finn talked Luna's head off about Collin's dumb jokes which made Luna shrieked with laughter. Anna kept a wary eye on Gale as he distanced himself from them.
Gale, please, tell me what's wrong.
Nothing is...
Gale, we've had five beautiful years with Luna. Why are you still upset that you could not see her before she was born?
That's not it Anna…
Then what is it?! Anna grew frustrated at him.
Gale peered his gaze up at Anna, I don't want to lose her.
"Finn," Anna lowered Luna at the entrance of the Springs, "Please take Luna to the Goddess."
"What's wrong, Mama?" Luna whined.
"Nothing sweetie." Anna kissed Luna's head once again, "Your father and I have to talk about grown-up stuff."
"Papa?" Luna looked towards her father for reassurance.
"It's alright Luna." Gale smiled, "Go ahead with Finn... we'll be right behind you."
Luna nodded and rushed over to Gale. She gave his leg a tight squeeze before she chased after Finn.
Once Luna was out of sight, Anna crossed her arms and started, "What are you not telling me Gale?"
"I don't want to lose her." Gale repeated himself.
"What makes you think that we are going to lose her?" Anna asked, "Gale, what's going on?"
Gale bit his lip and let out a sigh, "Anna..." He thought On where to start, "Do you remember... about that prophesy?"
"The one that related to me?" Anna replied, "Yes, I remember it, but what does that have to do with any of this?"
"When Luna was born..." Gale hesitated, "I saw that prophesy again... and there were strange sprites around me..."
"And you think that that premonition has something to do with Luna?" Anna pieced the puzzle together. When Gale nodded yes, Anna continued, "Gale," She shook her head in disbelief, "We're not going to lose her."
"What makes you so sure?" He doubted her.
"Because," Anna took his hand in her own and held it tightly, "I won't let us lose her." She kissed his lips and pulled him towards the Springs, "Now, let's go see what Sephia needs."
The two entered the Goddess Springs to find not only the angelic Harvest Goddess, but the fearsome Harvest King.
"Ignis…" Anna gasped softly and Gale held her hand tightly.
What is he doing here? Gale growled.
Neither god were vengeful and they had no reason to be feared, but when the Harvest King, Ignis, appeared that typically meant that whatever they would discuss, would be serious.
"Oh!" The Harvest Goddess, Sephia, noticed the two magical humans enter, "Gale! Anna! Thank you for coming!"
"Why are we here?" Gale immediately started agitated.
Anna squeezed Gale's arm tightly in disapproval and smiled at the goddess like there was nothing wrong, "Hello Sephia."
"I see that your daughter is well…" Ignis kept a close eye on her as she played with the Harvest Sprites. Edge was crying because Ben got his garments all soaked and Luna was trying to comfort Edge.
"Why did you want to see us?" Gale asked again.
Sephia sighed, "We have a favor to ask of the both of you…"
"This task can only be done with one of the purest heart." Ignis added.
"Yes…?" Anna urged them to continue. The couple were both nervous about the news.
Luna noticed the distress in both of the gods and her parents so she left her playmates to stand by her mother's side. She asked innocently, "What's wrong Mama?" Luna tugged on her mother's pant leg, "Is there anything that I can do to help?"
"Not now sweetie," Anna rubbed Luna's head, "Give us a minute."
"No…" Ignis stopped Luna. The little girl hid behind her mother because he intimidated her. Ignis continued, "She could be the answer…"
"But she's just a child, brother…" Sephia hesitated.
"Listen well…" Ignis started, "There is small island in another world and the power of that world is weak." He frowned as he continued, "There is trouble with the goddess and the only one that can restore her to her true form is one with a pure heart."
"No." Gale blurted out.
"Gale!" Anna jumped at his quick answer.
"She has to be the one." The Harvest King narrowed his eyes at Gale and then faced Anna, "May I give the task to this child?"
Anna looked into her daughter's eyes and saw the goodness in the child's heart. She knew that Luna could complete the task, but the bigger question was would Gale approve of her decision?
"Let Luna do it." Anna firmly said, "I know she can do it."
"What!?" Gale snapped, "No! I do not approve of this!"
"Gale…" Anna glanced over to him, "Luna will be fine."
He could not argue with Anna, so he turned his anger towards the gods. Gale grumbled, "When… will she leave?"
"When she is ready…" Ignis looked down at her.
Sephia knelt down to Luna and placed her hand on Luna's cheek, "Would you mind helping us, child?"
"I'd…" Luna nervously stepped away from her hiding spot, "I'd… like to help Miss Goddess."
"Then, it's settled." Ignis nodded.
"Anna," Gale pulled his wife aside, "Can I talk.. to you about this?"
Anna aside, "Gale, they want her to go. That's wonderful!"
"Anna…" Gale frowned, "The prophesy…"
"Gale," She rolled her eyes, "Luna will be fine! This should be a happy occasion!" Anna held his hands, "Please be happy."
"Happy?" Gale shocked, "They are stripping us away... from our daughter! How can we be happy?"
"Papa…" Luna snuck up behind him and tugged on his white trousers, "Please don't be sad. I want to go and help them."
Gale looked down at his daughter and sighed, "Alright…" He knelt down and kissed her head, "You can go, my dearest moon, and I will make sure that I see you off with a smile."
"Yay!" Luna jumped and hugged around her father's neck, "Thank you Papa!"
"She will return here after her task has been completed." Sephia smiled at the little one's energy.
"Yay! Now let's go home and open some presents!" Finn jumped up on Luna's shoulder which caused Luna to laughed and run off towards home.
"Luna!" Anna yelled and chased after her daughter.
Gale stayed behind as his wife and daughter left the Goddess Springs. Distress was carved deep into his wrinkles and confusion was written on his brow.
"What is it Gale?" The Harvest King spoke with a frown.
"I just… don't understand why I couldn't see her…" Gale sighed and leaned against the Goddess tree. "And then… the prophesy…"
"Your daughter?" The King's brow rose with question.
"My dear friend," The Goddess gently placed her hands on his shoulder and spoke sweetly, "You could not see your daughter because her future is unwritten."
"What do you mean "unwritten"?" He questioned the Goddess, "That's… not possible…"
"I'm afraid it is Gale," her voice filled with regret, "I am sorry for…" she sought for the appropriate word, "the inconvenience…" She shrugged and continued on, "But we cannot see her future."
"What about that prophesy? How does that relate to Luna?" Gale's voice cracked in fear.
"The world that we are sending her to is unlike our own." Ignis explained, "When you first saw that premonition, you tapped into unseen powers and worlds. When magic is first tapped into, magic is at its purest stage." He crossed his arms, "The older one gets, the less pure that magic becomes."
"That premonition was not a mistake…" Gale defended himself, "I saw what I saw, and the only outcome was death."
"What you saw Gale was your wife, Anna." The Harvest King raised his voice, "Just because you saw her does not mean that that premonition was for her."
Gale closed his eyes and grew in fear. He sighed, "I know what I saw…" He shook his head and reopened his eyes, "How am I to know that my daughter will be... safe... on this "journey"?"
The Harvest Gods looked at each other nervously before the Goddess answered, "We do not know whether she will be safe or not, Gale." She reassured him, "But we will watch over her and if she is in need of assistance, we will send someone to help her immediately."
"Who?" Gale's brows furrowed together. He was liking the idea of this journey less and less.
"Anyone of your choosing." The Harvest King answered.
Gale thought hard about this and weighed his options before answering, "Fine… she will go…" Gale left his spot at the tree and followed the same path as Anna and Luna. Before he left, he said one last thing, "Luna will go on your journey to Waffle Island… and then she will return to Castanet… safe and unharmed." He teleported himself home.
