Stellamaris

Summary: Stellamaris. The old Thak word for 'star of the sea.' Da calls me that. Or, at least he used to. He left when Ma got sick. Not being selfish, of course. He loves Ma too much. No, he left to get help, leaving me to look after Riki and Janie. And it wasn't easy. Especially when you're only little, with magic that I can't use. I'm scared. I want my Da. An episode in the life of Sarralyn Salmalín.

Disclaimer: I own the plot. I own Janie. I don't own anyone else. Life is just ssssssssooooooooo unfair. Sorry if the ages are a bit off.

Sarralyn's Point Of View (POV)

I sat up. Something was stirring on the edge of my mind. I didn't often get these feelings, but when I did, it was usually important. I scrambled out of my confining bed. The pale pink cotton sheets were half strangling me. I opened the window; the room was stifling. The sun was just peaking over the horizon. The summer breeze was cool on my small form. I pushed the mop of blonde hair off my forehead. Then I ran.

I ran along the wooden floors upstairs. Past Riki's room, past Janie's room. The next floor was my parent's room. I pushed open the door hesitantly till my head just peaked in the door. As usual my parents lay together. Ma lay on Da's bare chest, the sheet only going halfway up her bare back. Her smoky brown hair brushed my father's chin. His lips were pressed to the top of her head. His hands rested on her back. They breathed at exactly the same time, rising and falling with the other. They seemed to glow with love. I sighed; they looked so sweet. I knew Da loved Ma more than anyone or anything in the whole world. His children weren't far behind.

I tiptoed to what was supposed to be Da's side of the bed. It actually wasn't because they always slept in the middle.

"Da? Da? Wake up." I whispered. I had climbed up onto the high bed and was crouched beside him.

He moaned a small complaint. "Hmm?" he mumbled.

"Da? Can you take me to the beach? Please?" he opened a bleary eye. I stared pleadingly into his dark brown eyes for a long moment before he groaned in resignation. He eased out from under Ma. He pulled on some breeches and a shirt and we silently walked downstairs.

"Sarra, why are we up so early?" he grumbled like a child, not a 43 year old man.

"Coz, you should know Da? It's my birthday so you have to do whatever I want."
"It is too. How old are you again? Refresh an old man's memory."

I knew he was joking so I giggled. "I'm six, dolt."

He groaned again. "Not you too!"

"What?"

"Your Ma calls me dolt."

I giggled again.

We reached the edge of the beach. The grass ended, leaving a walk on rough rocks and soft golden sand before the sun coloured water. Da took off his boots and left them at the cliff's edge.

He picked me up. I hugged his neck and rubbed my face on it. I winced. His face and neck had some small, spiky bristles on it. I loved Da so much. I loved everyone in my family. I looked like none of them though.

Da was tan with dark eyes and hair. The only relation between us that showed was our long eyelashes. I had Ma's saxe eyes. But then, Da's was like me. He looked nothing like his parents. They looked Gallan or Scanran while he looked like the old people of Masada or Ekkellatum. I shared his love of learning and Ma's ability to transform into an animal at will. I had only been allowed to for a year. The spell grandmother Sarra put on me made me remain a human female for five years. I discovered I liked being a human and becoming animal like Ma did. When she wished.

Riki, my brother Rikash, doesn't have the talent of wild magic like Janie and I. he can turn animal but only certain types. He tends to prefer the snow leopard, a silver kestrel and alligators. But he's only three, so Ma and Da don't like him changing shapes a lot. He's also the only person in the whole world who can talk to premature dragons. He is very sweet when he sits on his bed, chatting away in chirps and whistles to Kitten. We think he might be a warrior when he gets older.

Kitten has gone to Corus to help the king with some things now.

Janie is the latest addition to our family. She's two and has wild magic. That's all we know of her. But we suspect she may become a great mage

Then there is our other family. The one with the king and queen and Aunt Lanna and Uncle Georgy. Lindhall is also very close to the family. And I almost forgot: Aunt Onua. She is my favourite aunt. Because she doesn't have any children she spoils us. But I like her because she is always nice and listens and she makes Ma and Da happy. Da said that she won't ever be able to have babies because of an accident she and her old husband had.

But I know the real story. He raped her (whatever that means) and punched her up when she was pregnant. And then, a few years ago, okay lots of years ago, when Ma was 20, Onua's husband came to Tortall. Everyone but Da and Onua liked him. Even Ma! Anyway, Da had just proposed to Ma and she said yes when the guy called Andrew came. But then Da caught him raping her (I must find out what that word means) and told him to never come to Tortall again. But it was in worse language. It made me cry when I heard it. I wasn't supposed to but Da was telling Lindhall. I think Lindhall likes Onua.

"Sarra?" Da's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Yes Da?"

"Why did you want to come here?"

"I have a feeling something important is going to happen here. I will find something."

He put me down and we strolled, hand in hand, down the shores. We were a good distance down the beach by the time the sun was completely over the horizon. I walked over to where the water gently lapped at the sand. I saw a small shell with the imprint of a star on it. I quickly grabbed it. It was so beautiful.

"Da! Look at this!" I held it up to show him. He walked over to me.

"Look at that. Isn't it pretty?" He inspected it. "This is something from ancient times. It's called a Lorkas shell. They are like opals. They're very powerful." He put it in my pale palm and closed the fingers around it. "Keep it safe. It might save your life one day. But, hopefully it won't have to. But it will always be special." Then he kissed my cheek gently. "My Stellamaris."

This was just a prologue to show you a bit about Sarra's life. There will be more. And also the things in brackets were Sarra's thought not A/N's. Sorry if I spelt some things (like Ekkellatum) wrong. I lent my Emperor Mage to my friend Belynda and we went on holidays and she forgot to bring it and I don't see her for 8 weeks.

Please review. And if you want to know the story about Onua and Andrew it'll be coming up soon. Look out for it. Review!!!