Everyone wakes up to a shared and exciting idea! Today is the festival everyone's been looking out for. Skylar is tasked to go into Avalor and collect the Jaquins residing there, but something's distracting him…
Like the previous morning, this new day is welcomed by the first rays of sunlight that shed light on the Palace and its surroundings. In a tree, one Jaquin lying comfortably in its nest opens its eyes carefully. It's Luna. She wakes up earliest of all. She lies still in her nest as she observes the rays shine through the canopy and into her nest, tickling her face. She starts stretching out completely followed by releasing a soothing groan that acts as closure her waking ritual. Suddenly, Luna gasps as if startled. She gets up and rolls her eyes thoughtfully over a thought of pure euphoria that passes her mind: *Today… is the day. Yes, finally!*
Skylar wakes up now, too… He doesn't observe light, though. He hears a noise instead. He yawns and tries to obtain information through his drowsy eyes to see what's making the noise. Something is speaking to him, that much is clear. Also, it's fast-paced and nearby. Then he identifies a Jaquin standing in front of him. Skylar blinks a few times. He recognises Nico looking at him with enlarged eyes, flinching back and forth of sheer excitement as his mouth is moving non-stop. Nico cannot wait to speak his mind about today. His cluttered speech is one of uncontrollable enthusiasm: "… bro. Wak-up! You-wake yet, bro? Today-s Sol-ystra! Com-on! Finally-e get-o eat-n-play al-day long! Get-p, now! Go outside wit-me!"
In the meantime, Verago also wakes up. He moans a few times as if in pain. In fact, to his sleepy mind, he perceives Nico's words as muffled and this slightly torments him. He wants to wake up gentle and relaxed, but certainly not like this…
Outside the Palace and in a different tree, Veje and Dióntan wake up simultaneously as if spiritually connected. Though they are brothers, this connection comes from a different source entirely. Dióntan lies all curled up with his back against his brother's belly. This behaviour is common in family members and lovers. Veje lifts his head only to find his body being 'trapped' in between the edge of the cupped nest and his brother's back, seeing no way out without disturbing his brother. However, Dióntan also lifts his head and this has Veje look directly at the back of his brother's azure blue head. Both act relaxed. They know today is a special day: one without a quota or King's Guard requiring to stand at attention in the early morning. Yet, this doesn't prevent Veje from feeling trapped still. "Morning, Dió! So, when did you decide to become my girlfriend?" he greets his brother in a witty way and receives but a yawn for a reply…
Migs and Dulce wake up now as well. They do so almost intertwined with one another. This happens nearly every day. They always fall asleep while cuddling and with their twisting and turning, they sometimes wake up in awkward sleeping positions. In one such position, their front legs are entangled as their heads lie face to face, just as their tails can be. Other positions include Mig's head resting on Dulce's chest near one of her armpits with one of her front legs lying over his head, and Migs lying on one of her wings as a result of the cuddling that leaves her no room for turning and ends up rolling half over him.
"Uh…' Dulce starts off surprised from the position she finds herself in this time and confusingly continues once finding Migs' eyes looking back at her, 'Ow, good morning, sweety! I certainly cannot remember falling asleep this way…"
Sienté now also opens her sleepy eyes. Like with Luna, rays of sunlight tickle her face that causes her to wake from her slumber. She lifts her head to look around and notices Avira, who stayed overnight. She lies at the other side of the nest. Seeing its owner waking up, Avira waves at her gently using a stretched wing by making short sideways motions. "I… see you are already awake.' Sienté says calmly and yawns before continuing excitedly, 'I cannot wait what we get to prepare and eat today. How about you?"
Avira replies bashfully: "Me too. I want to eat everything delicious."
"Now you sound just like Tudor, hihi. He always overeats during Solyestra.' Sienté says while noticing a shy grin appearing on Avira's face about the comparison made and starts thinking out loud, 'Speaking of which, I wonder if he and Shaniqua are up already?"
Shaniqua has an agonised look on her face. It reveals she's been woken up instead of waking up by herself. Her drowsy eyes scan the nest to find the source of this snoring. It doesn't take her long to find the culprit. Being vastly asleep still, Tudor lies on his back with all fours stretched in a different direction each, as are his wings. He effectively occupies half of the nest this way. His constant snoring makes Shaniqua feel unable to catch any more sleep. Thus, she raises herself into a sitting position. She looks at her boyfriend in an aloof way with her tail flinching of annoyance. *Argh, even asleep he succeeds in being a pain in the neck! I always need to insist on having him act responsibly. Like yesterday, when he wanted to skip the audience… Hah, but the entry into the throne room. So funny! I surely will never forget this. Ah, I just hope he was put in his place for once…* Shaniqua says to herself with a faint smirk on her face.
She decides to do what comes to her mind quite so often when woken by his loud snoring. She moves over to Tudor and sits down next to him. *And much worse is that I had to persuade him in repairing the nest with me before turning in… Yet, I still love him. Ever since we were so young, I feel attracted to him. If there is one thing to be sure of, it is that this feeling will never wither. And on top of that, he does so well with Kamil. If we ever become parents ourselves he surely will make a good father!*
With a sweet look in her eyes, she looks at her boyfriend. She then presses one paw on his face, effectively disrupting his breathing. The loud snoring dies down yet doesn't disappear entirely. Instead, it now changes to random gasps for air. At that point, Tudor raises himself into a sitting position violently. Now fully awake, he wheezes and exclaims in confusion: "Huh… What – happened?"
"Oh, hey. You are awake. You had a bad dream.' Shaniqua says sarcastically and adds whisperingly, 'Or better said, I was woken up by one…"
Back in the Palace, Skylar steps out of his cave home. He feels perked. Like yesterday, he goes to stand on top of the throne that extends up to the entrance of the cave home. There he stands, gracefully with his back straightened, highly confident like a true heir of king Verago. He looks down onto the main floor of the throne room. It's completely deserted. Today is the only day in the entire year the King's Guards are exempted from duty. Today is special, one that every Jaquin looks out to. A day that's all about celebration and partying: la Fiesta del Sol y las Estrellas, or "Sol-y-estra" in short. It's a thanksgiving festival held in the honour of the sun and the stars, or better said: in the honour of the Sunbirds and the realm of Vallestrella, providing the Jaquins with a safe and prosperous home. Even though the Sunbirds seem to no longer be watchfully present, they are revered nonetheless.
Soon after, Verago also steps out of his home cave and finds Skylar. The big black Jaquin gracefully sits down next to his eldest son. "Ah, here we are much like yesterday morning, do you not agree? Again, I have something to tell you.' Verago says calmly yet with a stern look on his face making Skylar visibly anxious for perhaps another uncalled confrontation that has Verago continue soothingly, 'Hah! But now will be different."
Nico hears his father speak. Also, he hears his big brother's name. The surge of excitement within him has died down by now. The sensation of excitement is slowly being replaced by a feeling of eased curiosity. Wanting to know what his brother and father are sitting together for, he decides to join them. It's been a while since Verago sat down with his two sons alone. "Ah, Skylar. I knew this moment would come. The day you become a Guardian of Avalor. It is a dream of yours come true.' Verago says calmly and places a paw on Skylar's shoulder, 'I have seen your admiration of Luna and Migs, always having looked up to them for being Guardians."
"You knew?" Skylar asks surprisingly and in awe with his shrewd father.
"Of course. As a king, but as a father foremost, I see these kinds of things. Together, you, Luna, and Migs truly make for a remarkable team, and probably more so now that you are a Guardian. You never cease to amaze me, Skylar. I am proud of you – as would Myra."
"Mother…" Nico slowly says of wonder upon hearing that name.
"Yes, Nico. Your mother would be utterly proud – of both of you. It was a dream of hers to see you both become Guardians. That has partially come true."
"So, when do I get to become one? Say I can go tomorrow! Pleeaase! I do not want to fall behind on my big brother." Nico exclaims enthusiastically while looking at Skylar.
Verago smiles of Nico's dedication, to which he says: "In time, Nico. One day, you shall too. Without a doubt."
"You are not my age yet, Nico. You look so cute, almost like a cub grown big!" Skylar jokingly teases his younger brother with his lips curled playfully.
Verago grunts and looks sternly at his eldest son. "Skylar…?" he asks at a correcting tone.
Skylar starts to uneasily look at the ground. Doubt strikes him as he wants something off his chest but hasn't gotten a clue how to bring it up. *How does he keep doing this? It seems dad can look right through me as if he knows something troubles me…* Skylar thinks feeling a little embarrassed.
He looks at Verago again. The sternly yet familiar look on his father's face makes admiration and determination overwhelm him. "Father… I want to apologise for what happened yesterday, frankly at this exact spot. I should not have yelled at you."
"Indeed, you should not have. There was no need for that." Verago reprimands his son and remains looking at his eldest son sternly.
"Sorry…" Skylar says softly with slight remorse as he bows his head.
Verago smiles in response and rubs his head against Skylar's firmly but in a loving way. It makes Skylar look up again. "Yet, I know how difficult it can be to keep up with life events unravelling before you this quickly. It seems hard to keep up. I cannot blame you for that, and I will not. You and Nico have always been… resourceful, something you clearly showed today once more, just as the two of you did when – Hrm, rebuilding my nest upside down…' Verago says the last part cautiously yet cannot prevent Skylar and Nico from chortling and this has him grunt displeasingly, 'Stop it. There is more I want to say. You and the same goes for you as well Nico, are the greatest joy in my life. Seeing the two of you growing up is what makes me utterly happy inside, even though it may not always shine through. Know that I will always be proud of both of you."
Ending his talk in a benevolent way, all three Jaquins smile at one another. They feel this talk did well for them. Skylar feels perked still, but this feeling now originates from the idea that his father is always proud of him, even when he corrects Skylar sternly or acts surly. "Now. There is one thing I would like to ask of you, Skylar.' Verago says reaching out a paw of his as if presenting his eldest son with a proposition, 'I want you to go into Avalor once more. This time, however, I want you to collect Zephyr and all of the Guardians, Scouts, and serfs from Mooncliff, and take them back here to join me. Then we can start the festival."
"Alright!' Skylar exclaims of joy and lifts up into the air to hover next to his father, 'I will go right away. I cannot wait for the festival to start!"
With his head held high, Skylar, and Nico besides him, flies towards the grand hallway, destined to go into Avalor once more. This time, he's content with it. He nods at Nico, who replies with full determination: "I am gonna see if everyone is awake yet! No one should sleep in on a day like this!"
Meanwhile, Tudor sits in his nest. He acts restless, inspecting the nest frantically by quickly having his eyes go about it. Next to him sits Shaniqua. She watches him closely as, in her eyes, he acts completely irrational, while shaking her head slowly. Then Tudor gets up. He starts pacing back and forth quickly still looking around, sweeping his tail, wings, and occasionally a paw of his over the nest flooring. "Would you stop doing that? It makes me feel nervous." Shaniqua replies feeling annoyed.
"My parents will be here today." Tudor replies hastily.
"So?" she asks curtly.
Tudor stops and looks at her saying at a fast pace: "Well, last time they saw this nest it was clean! They left me here and went into Avalor, helping the royal family over there against… bad things. While I stayed here, I fended for myself like an adult does. My parents must have gotten high expectations of me during that time. I must make sure not to let them down."
"Ah, you want to impress your parents.' Shaniqua says calmly but changes to a commanding tone of voice and using a wing to hold him in place, 'Well, then start by impressing me and stop! Just stop! Listen to me now. All this extensive cleaning serves no purpose. It just annoys me. Instead, start doing something useful."
"You are right…' he says hesitantly of not knowing what to do but then realises exactly what needs to be done and brightens up, 'You are right! I should get my parents! Inviting them personally makes me look responsible…"
"That is – not what I meant… Besides, you need to ask permission – from the king, that is." Shaniqua replies wittily and grins at him knowing that only king Verago appoints someone to collect the Jaquins from Avalor.
At that point, Skylar passes over their nest on the way to the portal. "Skylar!' the yellow and blue furred prince hears his name being yelled and glances down to see Tudor approaching while looking at him, 'I need to ask something of you."
"No! You do not!" They can hear Shaniqua yell flatly at them.
Skylar keeps on flying and replies: "Later, Tudor. I am on my way to Avalor."
Tudor accelerates. Being one of the better, if not the best, aerial acrobats, he quickly catches up with Skylar. "Yeah, about that. Can I join you? My parents are there… And Kamil, too!" he says in a pleading manner.
"Sorry. Father asked me to do this. Only he can grant you permission."
"Aw, but you are the prince, first in line to become king! Your decisions must count, too."
"Sure, but Verago is king…"
Tudor quickly interrupts Skylar, hoping to persuade him still: "If I had to decide I would have you make calls, too. You know everyone around here, and… Oh, and everyone likes you! So, you are a good deci-der of things. Please, let me go with you! Besides, we are almost at the portal anyway."
Skylar sighs. *I should not let him go with me, I guess. But Tudor is right about everyone liking me, and I can indeed make my own decisions. Ooh, like I did yesterday! That went well. I became a Guardian because of it!* Skylar tells himself to weigh up his options.
"Okay, you can come with me.' he replies confidently yet adds to it sternly, 'But no jesting, or joking!"