Chapter 5: Gift of Blessing
The next morning came too soon for Luna. The night before was sleepless and she continuously bombarded with weird dreams of things that she did not understand. The rooster on their farm cock-a-doodled and the sun peaked its rays through the hills and into her window. Luna rubbed her eyes and stretched her arms towards the ceiling. A few stiff bones popped and cracked from the previous day and she let out a big yawn.
"Time to wake up, Luna," Anna creaked open her daughter's door, "Come on, I need your help."
"What d'ya need?" Luna tossed her legs over the side of her bed and let out another yawn.
"Just because you're leaving today doesn't mean that you can avoid your chores." Anna laughed and tossed a pair of work clothes at Luna, "Hurry up sweetie, I don't have all day."
Luna watched her mother shut the door of her room before she grumbled, "Nor do I." Luna pushed herself out of bed and clothed herself in the red shirt and jean shorts that Anna tossed at her. Luna brushed out the wrinkles of her clothes and tiredly finished her morning routine. Once out the door, Luna saw her mother using the hoe on a dry patch of land. Luna lightly jogged to meet up with her mother and she asked her what to do.
"Plant these green tea leaves next to the eggplant." Anna instructed Luna, "And don't forget to water them afterwards."
"I won't." Luna replied and knelt down to the ground.
On a spot that Anna had sowed, Luna dug a small hole that was about two inches wide and deep. She placed three small green tea leaves into the hole and covered them up. Using a simple elemental spell, Luna called on the spirits of water to lightly shower the newly planted tea leaves. Out of all of the elements, fire was her favorite. She loved how the spell felt in her palm and how the energy surged through her body every time she summoned the element. Luna effortlessly moved through the row of sowed soil for the green tea leaves and when she had finished watering each plant, Luna went to look for her mother inside of their barn. The barn was old and needed a fresh coat of paint, but it still had its cute charm and was always filled with livestock. There were three of each animal: cows, horses, and sheep; one ostrich named Eugene and a goat named Simon; and in their chicken coop there were five chickens, three ducks, and three silk worms. Every animal lived happily on Rosebuds Ranch and there was nothing changing that happiness.
"Luna, can you help me milk the cows?" Anna called from behind one of the cows.
Without saying a word, Luna grabbed an empty bucket and sat on a stool in front of Lil' Missy. Lil' Missy was their oldest cow and she was as stubborn as ever on that day for Luna. Lil' Missy snorted and grunted and she refused to allow Luna milk her.
"Hold still!" Luna barked at the cow impatiently. Lil' Missy kicked her hind leg and smacked the bucket out of underneath her udders. "Mom!" Luna whined, "Lil' Missy won't let me milk her!"
"Luna," Anna sighed and walked away from what she was doing to soothe Lil' Missy. Anna cooed and whispered sweet and comforting words into Lil' Missy's ear before she told Luna, "Try now."
Luna struggled with the udders two more times before she could get the milk out of Lil' Missy.
"Luna," Anna reminded her, "You need to be gentle with the animals and comfort them before you start milking them."
"Sorry, mom." Luna apologized and then stood up from the stool, "Sorry, girl." Luna petted Lil' Missy's back. The cow let out a low moo and then walked towards her feeding stall.
"Go inside and wash up," Anna nodded, "I'll make breakfast a while, and then we will head out towards the Goddess's Springs, okay?"
Luna shot her head up, "Wait, where's Dad?"
Anna smiled and hugged Luna, "He's meeting us there." She gave her daughter a tight squeeze before letting go, "I'm going to miss you."
"Geez mom!" Luna laughed, "I haven't left yet!" She kissed her mother's cheek and walked out of the barn and towards the house.
"So," Luna started awkwardly, "Where's dad?"
Luna and Anna arrived that the springs around noon. The Harvest Goddess was waiting by her tree and was having a conversation with all of the Harvest Sprites. Neither Gale nor the Harvest King had arrived yet.
"You know Luna," Anna leaned over and hugged her daughter again, "I have no idea."
"What do you mean you don't know?!" Luna jumped out of her arms in shock, "I thought you said we were supposed to meet him here!"
"Luna," Anna began, "When the time comes you will learn to trust someone with all of your heart, and when you find that someone, you tend not worry about the little details."
"But don't you think that not knowing where dad is is a big detail?" Luna questioned her mother's trust.
"No," She thought a little harder before she repeated, "No, not really."
Luna was beginning to question her mother's carefree smile.
"Did we miss her?" An older gentleman's voice rang in Luna's ear.
"Grandfather?" Luna winced out the question. She turned towards the voice and saw a tall man with wrinkles around his eyes smile widely at the sight of Luna. "Grandfather Charles!" Luna dashed towards him wide open arms.
"Ah! My sweet little moon." Charles gasped at her abrupt speed. He returned her embrace with an even bigger hug, "I am glad that I didn't miss you."
"I'm so happy to see you! " Luna said and pulled away slightly, "Did dad fetch you?"
"Of course..." Gale kissed his daughter's forehead and walked over to his wife, Sorry that I'm late...
So that's where you were... Anna smirked before kissing him on the lips.
"Thank you for coming today!" Luna thanked her grandfather and sighed, "Too bad that I'm leaving. I would much rather spend time with you and catch up on things."
"There will be time for that when you return." Charles kissed his granddaughter's forehead, "Now, there is another reason why I am here, and I need you to close your eyes for this one."
"What is it?" Luna became jumpy and anxious as she closed her eyes. She felt a light cloth drape around her shoulder blades and felt her grandfather's cold hands tie a knot at her neckline.
"Open them." Charles instructed.
Luna opened them and her eyes fell upon the beautiful silk cape. It was a bright red and there were intricate yellow stitchings throughout the cape. The cord was spun out of gold and there was a hood attached to the neckline of the cape. "It's gorgeous Grandfather! Thank you!"
"You'll have to thank Rafael for that one," Charles answered honestly, "He finished it this morning."
"It was made... from the flames... of the universe..." Gale walked up behind his daughter and squeezed her shoulders lightly, "And the stitches... are from the scales of dragons..."
"It's beautiful..." Luna said breathlessly, "Thank you both!" Luna hugged her grandfather again tightly.
"Anything for my sweet little moon," Charles smiled and hugged her one last time before turning her over to Gale.
"Luna..." Gale hugged her tightly, "Remember what your mother and I taught you..."
"Of course." Luna hugged him and kissed his cheek before embracing her mother, "I love you both."
"And we love you." Anna hugged her daughter. Before Anna let go she said, "You have a good head on your shoulders and a wonderful heart," Anna pulled away and stared Luna straight in the eye, "Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise."
"I won't let them." Luna laughed and let go of her mother. Luna legs felt like jello as she walked towards the Harvest Goddess.
"Are you ready, child?" The Goddess held out her hand towards Luna.
Luna nodded and took her hand. The Harvest King arrived and stood before them, "You are going on this journey to save Waffle Island, is that correct?" He only asked the question to affirm Luna's decision.
She nodded and gulped before she said, "And when I am done I plan to return here to Castanet."
"Understood." The Harvest King turned away from them and lifted his hands to the sky. He shouted with a mighty voice, "Open the gates of the Heavens!" The fluffy clouds parted on the common of the god and a rainbow emerged from the clouds. The six colored translucent bridge touched the ground in front of Luna's feet.
Luna stared down at the bridge and reality hit her like a ton of bricks. She licked her chapped lips nervously and took a deep breath, "I can do this." She encouraged herself. Luna took a step onto the rainbow, "Help the goddess," and another step, "Then come back home," and another, "piece of cake..." Luna looked back at her parents as she thought silently, Right?
Luna waved goodbye to her parents one last time and rushed off towards the sky. I can do this. I can do this!