Eliphas' POV:
As I saw Astral and Star left the place in a hurry the only thought on my mind was what was the emergency that he talked about? What did he mean by "seeing images of a little girl"? I turned to my wife with a confused expression,
"Honey, do you have any idea what our son meant by "seeing an image of a little girl"?
My wife looked at me with the same perplexed expression, "I have no idea," she started to say "but, I'm assuming that Star saw the same thing."
I nodded my head in agreement, "Yes, most likely that would be the case," I held my hand up to my chin in deep thought, "I'm also assuming that the emergency that he was talking about had to do with the little girl."
"Yes, but what was the emergency about to make him rush out of the palace like that?" My wife said with curiosity.
It must have been important because Astral never panicked like that before. Well, he did that one occasion when he was little but usually, he's very calm about things and emergencies. So I wonder, what was it this time?
Imagine my surprised face when he comes home soaking wet. Star had a panicked expression, clearly in distress. As we all approach them, I noticed that she was holding a little girl covered in bruises and was wrapped in my son's jacket.
Before I could even ask what this is all about, Astral said "It's a long story father, but can you get the doctor for us?" He said calmly as he flew into his room where Star laid the girl unconscious girl on the bed.
This feels like deja vu. Last time it was Starlight. This time, it's a little girl. With a sigh, "Guards, bring in the doctor ASAP" I said as the guards bowed and said, "Right away your majesty."
Enna went into the room to check on the girl while Maria, Crystal, and Lilly came back from chasing after Astral and Star. Out of breath, Lilly asks "Have you seen your son anywhere?"
"He's in his room along with Star and Enna," I stated as I pointed to his room. They all groaned and started walking up the stairs.
The doctor finally came so I followed him to the room housing the girl.
Enna's POV:
We were all instructed to wait outside since the doctor was checking up on her.
My husband cleared his throat "Astral, Star" he started out saying while looking at them, "Care to tell us the details?"
"Yea Astral, why did you and Star fly off like that?" Maria asks curiously.
"Also, where did you find that little girl?" Lilly ask.
"Do you have any idea what happened to her?" Crystal asks them both.
Everyone was talking at once and asking them all sorts of questions.
Astral and Star were getting bombarded with questions and I could tell that Star was still upset about the girl.
"Enough!" I said raising my voice a little to stop all of the unnecessary conversations. All was silent at an instant.
I looked at Astral and Star, "Now, can you explain to us what happened for you two to leave like that?"
"Of course mother," My son said, "Right before we left the palace in a hurry, we saw visions of a girl who was unconscious in an alley in the rain."
Maria got a puzzled look, "So, you two" she said pointing at Star and Astral, "heard voices saying that you need to go outside?"
"Yes, that is correct," said Star, "We also saw visions of that same girl laying in the rain saying help me."
"Is that why you two suddenly got a headache?" My husband chimed in.
Astral nodded "Yes father." He said confirming the question.
"Why was it only you two who heard the voices and saw those visions?" Crystal said looking perplexed.
"I'm curious about that too," I started, "Why didn't all of you hear that voice and why did you both hear that voice?" I ask with a confused yet intriguing expression on my face.
Star looked at Astral as if waiting for him to supply the answer. When she got none, "That's what I'm trying to figure out." They both said simultaneously.
Maria's POV:
I find it very odd that they both heard voices. It seems unreal but they both found a girl who was unconscious in the rain. What I'm more curious about is what happened to her to get her like this? Where did all those bruises come from?
The door opened and the doctor came out looking serious.
"What is the girl's condition?" Star asks
"Lady Star, may I ask where you found her?" He said in a serious voice.
"I found her in the rain, unconscious with bruises all over her body."
"Ah," He said as if her answer gave him clarity, "So that explains why her fever was so high."
"How is she now?" Astral chimed in, "Does she still have a fever?"
"It has decreased significantly, your highness. I assure you there is nothing to worry about."
"However," he said hesitantly as if to pick the correct words.
"However what?" Crystal asks
"Speak your mind, doctor," Eliphas said
"Prince Astral, Lady Star, may I ask how did she get those bruises?"
"I don't know." Astral said, "Star and I just saw her unconscious in the rain so we brought her back here."
"Why? Is there something wrong?" The queen asks
"The doctor turned to the king and queen, "May you all come into the room and see for yourself." He said in a sad voice
We all floated into the room and saw the girl lying unconscious on the bed with a peaceful expression on her face.
"This is what I'm talking about," he said, pointing at the purple and bluish bruises on her neck, "someone clearly did this to her."
I floated closer to get a better look. The bruises are surrounding her neck. It looks like someone or something wanted to choke her or something. Who would do something so detestable to an innocent little girl?!
We all jumped at the sound of a fist hitting the table, "Who would dare do this to a 5-year-old girl?!" The king was clearly furious at the situation.
"Honey, calm down," said the queen in an attempt to soothe his anger, "You are scaring the girl," she said looking at the girl who was whimpering.
Star's POV:
This is all too confusing to make out. Did someone really do this to her? A young child... why would someone want to kill this young innocent child? What did she ever do to deserve such treatment? I floated over to her to get a better look,
"Who on earth did-"
(Pulse):
"Uh-hh!"
(Flash)
...A blurred enclosed room...
(Flash)
...A familiar figure of a young girl with white hair, curled up in the corner, rocking back and forth while hugging her knees...
(Flash)
...A freakish scream echos through the air, making the figure tense...
(Flash)
...I froze on the spot, eyes wide at the scene I just saw in my head...what did I...
What did I just see? That figure...she looks an awful lot like me...
I felt my heart racing in my chest as I try to comprehend what I saw just now...
Is it possible that figure was me? It-it does look like me though...but why...why did she look like a younger version of me?
Am I remembering what happened to me in Barian world after my parents' death?
...but why...why did I remember them now? Is it possible...that something triggered my trauma-blocked memories?
As I was lost in thought trying to figure why I saw those images, a hand was placed on my shoulder, making me jump back with a frightened and startled expression on my face.
"Star?" a voice filled with concern ringed in my ears. I blinked a couple of times to make sure I was back in reality. As I calmed myself, I realized that Astral was staring at me with concern in his eyes.
"Are you alright? You look...frightened. Is something the matter?"
I wish I knew myself...
Smiling at him, "I'm fine. I was just lost in my thoughts."
He narrowed his eyes at me in suspicion, "Really?" He clearly doesn't believe me.
"Yes, have I ever lied to you before?" I ask him as guilt riddled me from the inside.
That look of suspicion on his face was replaced with a smile, "Alright, if you say so."
I'm sorry Astral. You are the last person that I want to lie to. I hope that you can forgive me.
"Look," I heard Lilly say, "She's waking up!"
We all gathered around her as she opens her eyes...I was shocked by her eyes!
She has the most unique eyes that I have ever seen. Her eyes...one eye has a bright green center with a gold outer ring and the other has the same bright green center but with a white outer ring.
"Her eyes are so beautiful!" Maria said
"I agree, her eyes are unique," I said while looking at her
"Astral, she has two different eye colors like you and dad but it looks a bit different." Crystal said curiously
"Yea, does she have heterochromia too?" Lilly asks looking at Astral.
"Well, it's a type of heterochromia. Unlike complete heterochromia when the eyes are a different color, she has central heterochromia. This means that she has a gold outer ring while the center of the eye is green." He said
"Ah, so that's why," Crystal said
The door opened to reveal the king and queen floating in.
"I see that the girl has awoken." the king said
"Mother, father, how was the meeting?" Astral asks as he floated towards them.
"It went well I suppose?" Crystal asks
"It was fine. The council was wondering about Barian world and a bunch of other things but we managed to settle the dispute." The queen responded with a smile
"That's great..." Crystal began as a small voice cuts her off.
"Father?"
We all turned in the direction where the noise came from.
The girl was staring directly at Astral with a curious yet happy expression, "Father, you came back for me!" she said as she launched herself at him into a hug.
Astral's POV:
What? I thought as the girl hugged me. Did she just call me "Father"? No, I must have been mistaken. There is no way that she just called me father.
"Father?" The girl asks as she looked up at me with a smile still hugging me.
I guess that I wasn't mistaken after all. This has been a peculiar turn of events.
"Ahem" I turned around as I heard my father cleared his throat, "Astral, can you explain why this girl is calling you "father"?"
"I don't know why either father," I responded as I carried the girl down to the floor.
I kneeled to her level, "What's your name?"
"My name is Serenity," she said with a smile
"Serenity huh? That's an interesting name. Don't get me wrong, it is very beautiful."
"Of course it's pretty! You and Mother both picked it!"
"Where are your parents? I'm sure that they are worried sick about you." Just as I said that some tears are leaking from her eyes.
My eyes widened, did something bad happen to her family?
"Serenity, what's wrong?" I said as I carried her to the bed and placed her in my lap for comfort.
"Father, did you forget? Mother died a year after I was born." She said while gripping onto my hands.
Her mother died when she was 1 year old? So then this child has been lacking a mother's love for a couple of years now.
"What about your father? Where is he?" I said while wiping her tears away
Did her father abandon her on the streets after her mother died? Is that how she got those bruises? Did he perhaps abuse her?
Serenity looked up at me with a frown on her face, "Father, are you feeling okay?"
Sigh, there she goes calling me her father again. I guess I look like her father. I mean I could correct her but for some reason, I don't have the heart to tell her that she's mistaken. She apparently grew up without a mother to take care of her and she seems so happy when she met her "father" again. I don't want to be the one to crush her happiness.
"Yes, I'm feeling fine," I said with a smile, "Can you describe to me your mother? How was she like?"
"Father, why would you want to hear that from me? Shouldn't you know mother the best?" She said in confusion
"Yes, but I want to hear it from you. What do you think about your mother?" I said with a laugh
"Hmm...well, according to what you told me, mother, is beautiful, kind, and unique. She has long white hair and bright green eyes."
Long white hair and green eyes? Why does that description sound like Star?
"Also, you said that she changed you for the better. You said that she was like an angel sent from above to rescue you in times of darkness and despair."
Wow...I smiled slightly, whoever her father was, he must have loved her mother a lot!
"You told me that she died a year after your birth. Why did she pass and how?" I ask her gently
She smiled sadly, "She died while trying to protect me from the bad people."
"Where was your fat-er I mean where was I during all of this?"
"I don't know. You never told me but you did tell me that you loved mother very much." She said with tears in her eyes.
That's...sad...very sad... I don't know why I'm like this. I usually don't get highly affected by stories that much but why do I feeling like crying?
I could sense the sadness radiating off of everyone in the room as they heard what happened to her mother. I don't blame them for feeling sad. I feel sad as well which is highly peculiar, to say the least.
"What was her name?" I said softly as I stroked her hair.
"Father, you were the one to ban everyone from even mentioning mother and her name. You said it was because it brought back too many sad and painful memories that you would rather forget."
"Your f-er I never told you her name?"
She shook her head, "No, you never told me." she said looking down.
"I'm sorry that happened," I said while putting a hand on her shoulder
"Father, you have nothing to apologize for. It should be the other way around." She said as she looked at me straight in the eye, "I should be the one to say sorry. If it wasn't because of me, mother, wouldn't have died and you wouldn't have to be sad for so long. If you want me to leave, I will go as you wish." She sid quietly looking down at the floor with tears threatening to fall.
This kid...My heart is breaking from the sight that I'm seeing right now...I don't even know what to say...
"Serenity, it's not your fault. Your mother sacrificed her life to save you from harm's way which proves that she loves you dearly." I said in a soft voice, "I care about you too and as your father, I do not blame you for your mother's death. Although I might be sad at times, I do not and will not ever blame you." I finished with a sad smile as tears leaked from the corners of her eyes.
"Really?" She said with disbelief in her voice, "Do you really mean that, Father?" Her tone is filled with hope.
I smiled, "I do. I could never place the blame on you for something like that."
"So...you don't hate me?" she asks in a quiet voice that startled everyone in this room.
I was taken aback by the question. Why would I go hate on a 5-year-old child who has done nothing wrong? Not to mention, this child is unique. What would make her think that?
"Why would you even think that I hate you?" I asked as I wiped her tears with my thumb gently.
"The...there were some days where you would lock yourself in your room by yourself and I could hear you crying and there were also some days where you were super distant with me and avoided me like I was someone bad. That's why I thought that you hated me."
This child has been through so much for her age...I'm pretty sure that her father doesn't hate her. He was just coping with the loss of his wife.
"Serenity, I will never hate you. I was just sad about the death of your mother." I smiled, "I could never hate you, my dear child."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she heard those words come out of my mouth. She tackled me into a hug and sobbed while holding onto me like a lifeline. I was shocked about this but I patted her on the back.
"It's alright...everything will be fine, Serenity..." I said in a reassuring voice.
After a few minutes of crying, she broke away from the hug drying her tears with a tissue.
"Feel better?"
She nods her head to confirm her answer.
"Now, I have a couple of questions."
I looked at her in a serious manner, "My friend and I found you in the rain, unconscious and all bruised up." I started to say
I put my hands on top of the girl's hand, "Tell me, who did this to you?" I said in a quiet voice
"The ba-bad pe-people." She said stuttering with fear
"Can you tell me more? What do they look like?" I urged her to continue. She continued to shake in fear.
I placed both of my hands on her shoulder, "Look at me, Serenity. You have nothing to fear. You are in a safe place right now." I said with a smile
She took a deep breath to soothe her fear and calmly said, "The bad people, they are at war with us." My eyes widened
Could she mean the Barians?
"I think you mentioned them once in front of me... I think they were called something with the letter B."
"Are you talking about the Barians?"
"Yes, that's what they were called! The Barians were the ones that did that to me."
Of course, it was the Barians. It's just like them to harm an innocent child and her mother. They tore her family to shreds. Left her without a mother figure and left her father to suffer in pain. This is their fault! I swear I will kill...wait what am I thinking?! Kill the Barians? No...the better question is why am I so angry all of a sudden? It is rare for me to feel anger let alone to feel it to this extent.
"Father?"
I snapped out of my thoughts, "I'm fine."
"Is the one who did this to you called Don Thousand?"
At her confused face, I elaborated, "Don Thousand is the leader of Barian World."
"Um...I don't think he showed up. I'm pretty sure it was his servants who tried to kill me."
"That must have been a scary experience for you huh?"
She nodded at my statement.
"Well, you have nothing to fear anymore, as long as I am here, I will never let you be in danger ever again!" I said with confidence
She smiled at that statement, "I know you will, father."
"Okay, now that that's over with, let me introduce you to these people," I said gesturing toward my parents, sister, and friends.
She laughed a little, "Father, I already know most of them."
"You do?"
"Yup!"
She pointed at my mother and said, "This is your mother and my Grandmother. Her name is Enna and she is the queen of this world."
She then again points at my father and said, "This is your father and my Grandfather. His name is Eliphas and he is the king."
"This is your sister and my aunt. Her name is Crystal."
"This is Lily and she is your friend."
"This is Maria and she is also your friend." She said pointing at Maria
She directed her attention over towards Star and stared at her as if she was remembering something.
"Do you not know who she is?" I ask smiling
She doesn't respond and just kept staring at Star, narrowing her eyes. I guess that's her way of saying I don't know.
"The person that you are staring at is Star and she is my friend."
After a couple of beats of silence from her, she said, "Wrong."
Wrong? What does she mean by that?
"What do you mean?"
"Father," she turned to me, "Do you really not recognize her?"
"Yes, I do recognize her. She's my friend." I said slowly not getting what she meant by that.
Star had a look of pure confusion written on her face as the others just watched as the scene played out.
She looked at me in shock, "How do you not recognize her?"
I tilted my head in confusion. Star is my friend. I am pretty sure of that.
"Father, do you remember when you showed me a picture of mother before her death?"
Wait...she's not implying what I think she's implying right?
Noting my silence, "She is not your friend, father,"
She smiled at Star with tears in her eyes, "She is my mother and your wife."