Updates are still going on, I just don't want to skip updates chapter-wise. Anyway, here's the second chapter of Wish Upon a Star, you guys aren't here to listen to me ramble XD
Question of the week: Do you guys prefer longer chapters or chapters every week like how I'm doing "Wish Upon a Star?"
Author's Weekly Favorite Chapter: Thin Mint High (Bree's so sassy XD)
Author's Favorite Song: Peer Pressure by James Bay (Cynthia and Leon would totally sing this in my head XD)
Wish Upon a Star
Chapter 1
"My Little Miracle"
Eighteen Years Ago
"Go on, it's okay," Innocently round blue eyes looked back at the speaker. Black hair getting into her eyes around the headband on her hands as she gave a small shake of her head and hid her face into the crook of the speaker's neck.
"She's pretty skittish and nervous isn't she?" A platinum blonde chuckled softly, his own daughter held casually in one arm while his other hand rested on the pommel of sword strapped to his waist. His daughter was clutching a toy sword to her chest, round green eyes focused on the other girl.
"Can you blame her?" Another man chuckled softly and gently rubbed the young girl's back, his daughter held dozing in his arms. The young girl exhausted from the long horse ride across country lines to receive her birthright. "She's mostly mute and everyone shuns her for it."
"I didn't mean to sound rude Gunner," the blonde apologized to the sleeping girl's father, "I'm just pointing out that Cynthia's always been really skittish and shy."
"What Gunner said is true," Cynthia felt her father's hand replace Gunner's and began rubbing at her back with small motions. "Cynthia's always been afraid of new things and places."
"It's okay Cynthia… nothing will hurt you in there."
Cynthia's hug around her mother's neck tightened and she sniffled, her body giving a shuddering breath. A silent signal that she was going to cry if they kept pushing her.
Cynthia heard her mother give a soft sigh, "your father will protect you Cynthia," she spoke in a gentle voice, "I need to get back to the farm honey."
No… I don't wanna... Cynthia pictured the words but nothing came out of her mouth besides a small whimper.
"Cynthia please?" Her mother was practically begging her at this point, "I don't want to make you cry little one giving you to your father."
Don't! I don't wanna go in there! Cynthia further nestled her head into the crook of her mother's neck, stubbornly refusing.
"It's okay Sarah," Cynthia's father told her and Cynthia felt him gently pull her arms away from her mother's neck, "I'll take her. If she starts crying it's okay, cause we can't delay this any longer."
"I know Bracken… but I hate it when she cries," Cynthia tried clinging tighter to her mother but to no avail, her father gently pulled her away from her, lifting her into his strong arms and away from Sarah.
Cynthia instantly burst into tears, the small child's mouth opening wide into her attempt to wail and cry her disapproval in being taken away from her mother and taken into the cave. Mama! Mama! Her round blue eyes glistened with upset tears that streamed down her small cheeks as she reached for her, her hands opening and closing a few times in the process. Mama! No sound escaped her mouth besides a hoarse croak, the mute child's version of crying aloud.
Sarah looked visibly pained even as Bracken cuddled their crying daughter to his shoulder, gently rubbing her back and bouncing her a little to no avail. "Bracken maybe-" She paused at the patient look in her husband's eyes and swallowed hard before giving him a little nod and turned around, walking away.
Cynthia reached for her over her father's shoulder, vision obscured by her tears as she reached for her mother with the whisper-like croak escaping her mouth in an attempt to cry and call for her. Mama! Don't leave me here!
Once Sarah was out of sight Cynthia collapsed against her father's shoulder and just bawled, the small child making no noise besides a few miserable whimpers and audible gasps.
"Oh Cynthia…" Gunner's fingers traced the young girl's spine in a comforting fashion, "Bracken your daughter is so precious you know that right?"
Bracken gave a soft sigh, gently holding his daughter's head to his shoulder as he did so. "I know, I know. She's obviously the quietest child in the world," as he said that though his voice was tinted with sadness, obviously wishing his daughter could speak like a normal child.
"That's not what I meant-"
"Gunner? Leave her alone," Connor sighed, "Cynthia's already miserable enough without you adding to it- woah Ivory!"
Connor's blonde child as almost fallen out of her father's arms as she leaned over, reaching for Cynthia and a little clumsily wiping Cynthia's tears from one eye. Green eyes gentle and concerned about the other child. "Don't cry," she told her in her child-like high pitched voice and offered Cynthia her hand, "hold my hand? It make you feel better."
Cynthia blinked at her, her mouth opening and closing to no avail, but Ivory got the message.
The small blonde grasped Cynthia's slightly larger hand and smiled at her, making Cynthia's body shake slightly in soft giggles without a single sound escaping her mouth.
Ivory looked back at her father, who's blue eyes showed an immense amount of love for his daughter and her thoughtful nature. "Papa? Can I go with Cyntia?"
Connor smiled and looked at Bracken, the two of them exchanging looks, "of course you can Ivory, make Cynthia feel better okay?"
"I will papa," Ivory smiled even as she let go of Cynthia's hand and Bracken picked her up in his free arm before reconnecting her and Cynthia's hands. But not before hugging the other girl and telling her, "it's okay Cyna."
Okay, I believe you… Ivy. Cynthia tentatively returned the hug, tear ridden blue eyes glowing softly in the darkening cave as their parents moved deeper into it.
The glistening crystals in the cave reflected in Cynthia's sapphire blue eyes like stars, bringing out the soft innocence in her eyes. Innocence born of her parents protection from the big scary world out there.
"They're definitely blessed with magic," Gunner inputted quietly as they entered the main area of the crystal covered cavern, his own daughter looking wide-eyed at the cavern around them. "Look at their eyes."
Each of the girls' eyes were glowing, their colored hues of their irises glowing at a supernatural level, gleaming like liquid stars. The level of enhanced hue in their eyes depicting how strong their magic will be.
"Ivory's are glowing," Connor smiled at his daughter who was looking wide-eyed around the world around her, her eyes glowing close to a soft neon green.
"Bree's are changing color," Gunner pointed out, speaking proudly of his oldest daughter who's amber hues were shifting to a deep galaxy-like purple.
"Look at Cynthia…" Bracken's voice was hushed as he looked down at his daughter who was now looking up at him through round almond shaped eyes at the sound of her name. The blue in her eyes was fluctuating from sapphire blue to sky blue, then neon blue and back. However the biggest difference in her from the other two were the blue tint to the freckles on her face. A majority of freckles across the bridge of her nose and her cheeks had taken on a soft baby blue hue.
"Bracken…" Gunner looked at the brunette, a look of worry in his eyes at the difference in Cynthia compared to the other two. "You realize that she's… not going to be like other children after this?" He gestured to the girl's face as the girl turned back to looking around the cavern, silently pointing things out to Ivory, "even if she's mute, her blessing will change her more than other children."
Bracken looked at his daughter, a look of something close to fatherly misery on his face. All he wanted was his daughter to be normal and happy like all the other children her age. "I just want her to be accepted by everyone else…" He spoke in a whisper, the other two adults barely able to hear his words, "she should be like everyone else…"
Connor gave his friend a solid pat on the back and a kind smile, "we accept her," he told Bracken, "and she has a big family who love her dearly. Cynthia will be loved Bracken, even if her magic makes her different she'll always have somewhere to go." He gave him another comforting pat on the back and urged him forward, "now come on, the moon will have risen to its highest point any minute now."
Bracken swallowed hard and nodded, stepping into the narrow entrance of the last cavern and their destination. "Yeah," he said in a slightly croaky voice, "lets get this over with."
Together the group of six entered the smaller cavern. A cavern filled with semi-smooth walls of crystal that reflected the light bouncing off of the crystal clear pool of water in the center. Mysterious wisps of steam and or smoke lifted up and into the air from a top the rippling water before disappearing through the thin hole in the center of the cavern where a thin beam of moonlight had lit the cavern to mid day lighting. Where once submerged, the children in their father's arms would be blessed with the magic that was their birthright.
"Come 'ere ivory," Connor took his daughter from Connor despite Cynthia's whimper croak of complaint and gave his friend a small smile. "I'll go first, Gunner your next and Bracken's last, sound okay?"
At the other two's matching nods Connor moved into the water, wading into the surprisingly deep water that barely rippled more than how a puddle would with just one raindrop hitting it's surface.
The crystals around them all changed color, a green hue the color of Ivory's eyes bleeding through the walls and dying the center of the ceiling a vibrant neon green.
As Ivory's small body entered the water, her father bending over and beginning to lower the girl into the warm water that never seemed to get cold, there was a distant boom of thunder.
Causing everyone to jump a little before rain began falling from the thin hole in the center of the cavern.
Connor shook of his startlement and gently plugged his daughter's nose before taking a deep breath and submerging both of them in the water.
A flash of light signaled lightning from outside.
Before Connor reemerged with Ivory, his blonde hair sticking to his forehead while his daughter was mildly coughing, green eyes blinking water out of her eyes. Despite all of the movement that had gone on in the pool it remained untouched, barely rippling and not reacting to the rain pattering against its surface.
Connor waded back out of the water, the rain almost instantly stopping the moment Ivory lost contact with the pool of water. He offered Bracken a grin through his sopping hair, "we'll have to visit the Elder to make sure, but I'm pretty sure hers is lightning and storms."
Gunner lightly rolled his eyes and moved toward the pool with a cheeky grin, "storms? Psah, just watch, Bree's will be ten times better."
Bracken said nothing, simply looking down at his mute daughter who blinked back at him, her blue eyes innocently round and unaware of what was going to happen to her.
Gunner followed Connor's previous motions, wading into the water and watching as the entire room adopted a so honey-colored hue and Bree giggled at the crystals, amber eyes wide and amazed.
"Alright baby girl," Gunner smiled at his oldest, "make daddy proud okay?"
Bree just blinked innocently back at him before shutting her eyes and holding her breath as Gunner gently plugged her nose and both of them went under the water.
Bracken stumbled, feeling like his feet weren't properly grounded to the earth and Cynthia gave a croaked-whimper, clinging to his shirt and squeezing her eyes shut. Bracken watched in amazement as his daughter's black hair casually floated up above her head as if gravity didn't effect it and saw Connor gawking with his own daughter's blonde hair all up in his face.
Moments later Bracken felt like he was standing properly again and Gunner stepped out of the pool, the salt-and-pepper haired man grinning like an idiot before lifting his daughter above his head with a delighted laugh. Everyone's hair returning to its usual position in the process. "Bree's got freaking space! My daughter can manipulate space!"
Bree's giggles at her father lifting her up and snuggling her to his chest warmed Bracken's heart and for a moment helped chase away the anxiety rising in his chest.
Will Cynthia be okay? Bracken couldn't help but wonder a moment later, looking down at his daughter and her glowing eyes and freckles. Usually glowing around the face besides the eyes indicated a blessing-curse, a blessing that was stronger than most but had a crippling weakness.
Cynthia looked back at him, a look of fear appearing in her blue eyes before giving a small sniffle and cuddling closer to her father's chest.
"Come on Bracken," Connor gently encouraged and Bracken lifted his head to look at him, "there's nothing we can do now but go through with it and see what'll happen."
Bracken swallowed hard and nodded before he straightened his shoulders and walked toward the pool. Wading into the water that made his skin tingle with warmth and a sense that there was something in play here that he couldn't understand.
The crystals around them dyed themselves a deep blue with a soft sky blue at the top near the thin beam. Of which widened slightly, revealing the complete lack of ripples and or movement as Bracken stepped deeper into the pool. The water licking at his waist even as he stepped deeper and deeper till Cynthia's feet touched the water and she gave a small cough. The small child looking a little uncomfortable and her whimper was barely more than a hoarse whisper of a sound.
Bracken made eye contact with Connor, looking for and receiving reassurance from his good friend, before holding Cynthia close and lifting a shaky hand to her nose. "Hold your breath and close your eyes baby," he told her softly, "it'll only take a second okay?"
Cynthia nodded despite the visible scared tears in her small eyes and shut them before holding her breath as her father's fingers went gently around her small button nose.
Bracken was trembling as he silently prayed to the stars glistening above him to be kind to his youngest child and then after a moment, plunged under the water.
At first it was dead silent, hardly reacting to his daughter's presence beneath the water before Bracken heard it.
The sound of tickling bells playing in the form of a beautiful song he had never heard before.
The sound enthralled him, pulling him in even as he felt his heart ache a little for some unknown reason, and yet a second later the moment was broken.
Cynthia began struggling in his grasp, bubbles emerging from his daughter's throat while she was struggling in his hold, her small fingers going to her mouth and throat.
Bracken immediately broke the surface, standing up and fixing his attention on his hacking daughter who had been coughing when she came out of the water. "Cynthia?"
Cynthia didn't react, the small girl leaning over her father's arm trembling and coughing violently in a fit like her lungs and throat were spazzing out and preventing her from properly breathing. Between coughs her breathing was thick wheezing, barely understandable as a gasping breath.
Bracken hastily waded toward the edge of the pool, "Cynthia what hurts?"
"Did she breathe it in?!" Gunner's voice was panicked as he put Bree down and quickly waded to the edge of the pool, green eyes studying Cynthia's coughing form in fear.
"I don't know!" Bracken snapped, "Cynthia princess, tell me what hurts!"
Cynthia didn't respond in any fashion. At least not in the way her father was prepared for as she made a choking noise and then a second later crimson blood came out of her mouth when she coughed again. The liquid splattering against the water and instantly vanishing.
"Bracken get her out of the water," Connor pulled his friend out of the water by the arm, "and pat her back or something, she could be choking on something!"
Bracken did as Connor suggested, holding her to his chest and gently patting his daughter on the back who's bloody coughing eased after a few moments, never taking his eyes off of her.
Cynthia relaxed once the coughing stopped, the young child's eyes dazed and glassy as she rested her cheek against her father's now bloody shirt, her hands holding thick fistfuls of her father's shirt in a clingy manner.
After a moment Bracken spoke to her again, looking anxiously down at her, "Cynthia, are you okay?"
There was nothing in the world that could've prepared him to the hoarse high-pitched voice that entered his ears.
"Da… Daddy…" Cynthia's mouth formed the words and Bracken couldn't believe his ears. "I… okay…"
Bracken looked at Gunner and Connor, finding identical dumfounded looks on their faces. "Cynthia," he held his daughter closer to his face, looking carefully at her, "who am I?"
Cynthia glassy tired eyes looked back at him and the small child spoke again, her voice clearing up the more she spoke. "Daddy," she said and reached forward, touching his face with her small hands, "you're… my daddy."
Bracken couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips, "you can speak! Oh my StarClan I can hear you speak!" He cuddled his daughter close, being careful with her tired small body but elated at hearing his daughter's voice for the first time. "I love you so much little one," he chuckled sincerely, "you're my little miracle."
Series Title: Wish Upon A Star
Chapter Title: Chapter 1 - "My Little Miracle"
Series Summary: Being blessed with magic did nothing to protect Cynthia against the heartbreak and the ban from the country where her other half lives. Ivory couldn't do anything, and neither could Bree or Jay, but now as time goes on things are just going to get even more complicated. A dome of diamonds will rise from the earth and provide safety from the creatures hunting the scent of humans. All the while the chosen ones hunt for the source of the betrayal buried in gold.
Main Characters: Cynthia, Ivory, Leon, Bree, Jay, Cleo, Catie, Connor, Braxton
Couples: Cinderblaze, Ivybreeze, Briarfeather, maybe Hollyleaves (trying to figure out where to put Holly XD)
Status: As of Nov. 4th Ongoing main series, now has two parts.
Reviews:
~Ivystormrandomness
I love your story btw ;)
Yes you can email them, they're actually functioning emails Xd
Writing that long takes time (which I don't have to WHSS anymore uploading every week) and practice, I've been writing WHSS since Oct 2016 and started out with chapters averaging 100 - 500 words Xd
Just ignore Watermist regarding WHSS, he/she's just pissed that Cynthia's a character and that I refuse to get rid of her XD (I do admit though that your response to their review totally made me laugh and made my day XD)
I do play fifteen instruments, I really enjoy the 3 main arts (language, visual arts, and music) hence my degree, career field, and choice in publishing a book Xd
The whole HTML thing is grating on my nerves XD I'm trying to redo the formatting on everything around multiple birthdays and deadlines in a week and it keeps making me upload them all three to four times each XD
~ Cloudynose
I know right? I love Cleroy almost as much as I love Cleo's parents XD
~ Watermist of Windclan
Well, aren't you just a beautifully happy ray of sunshine Watermist? To give you privacy regarding your review I PMed you earlier last week. Otherwise, you're welcome to say what you want, but the 45k average views I get on a bad month for the story says otherwise in regards to my "shit" worthy stories ;)