"Why was he sent out? Shouldn't Marco hear all of this too?"

River pointed back to the table. "Let's sit down first." The three went back to the table. Star sat in the chair she occupied before. Moon and River took the seats on either side of her instead of being distant from Star like the previous conversation. There weren't unknown faces separating them. The table was long, but they scrunched together at the end, leaving the remaining seats barren.

"There are some things that Marco doesn't need to know. Yet, at least. It would be best if he didn't hear them."

"We kinda just dropped that I'm going to a dangerous island to meet someone threatening that if I don't, Mewni could be invaded. There's not much more that would be worse he could hear than that."

"This is a touchy subject to be talked about with him," Moon said. "Just as the letter involved you, this part concerns him. We just need to figure some things out before he is talked to."

"They don't know about him, the 'Clan Drengild' or whatever, do they?"

"No, they do not."

"Then what is it with him then?"

Not the best start to the conversation. The King and Queen delayed any responses. Even with extensive preparation, they came to the table flat-footed.

"Well?"

"Star," River said, "Do you remember when we used to go and see the sheep at different farms?"

"Kind of, it was a long time ago."

"Try to remember, this might help. Do you remember what was with the sheep?"

"Yea, it was a… it was a dog!"

"Yes, exactly! Do you remember why the dog was there?"

"They have them on Earth too!" Star was starting to get it. "It was to protect the sheep and other animals I think."

"Yes, yes, that's right. The dogs are there to protect the sheep from wolves and other predators."

"Huh, cool, but why are we talking about sheep and dogs?"

"Darling, wer'e talking about them because you might need a dog. A place like Aldmist… this place is like an eternal warzone without the war even happening."

"But I'm not a sheep."

"No, you aren't, but you're like one. You're like a sheep because you are extremely valuable to us and the kingdom. And unfortunately, there are wolves out there. There are bad people that hurt people because they can."

"We couldn't bear to lose you," Moon said. She hesitated for a moment. "Point being, we think Marco should be the dog."

"What does that mean?"

"Star, there has been a tradition in the Butterfly family since nearly the beginning of the bloodline. There is something called an Elite Guardian. Just like the dog, the protect the sheep; they protect the monarch. Just like how to dogs work closely to the sheep, the Guardian is someone very close to the monarch, usually a devoted friend. When we first picked Marco to be your guide on Earth, we chose him because he's caring and understanding. It's doing him a disservice to say he's even better than we hoped. He was your guide on Earth, and now we want him to be your guardian in Aldmist. At the end of it, it's your choice as to who and if you want a guardian, but no one else comes close to Marco in this regard."

"I've never even heard of an 'Elite Guardian' before. Didn't you say it's a tradition?"

"If you don't hear about specific people, that's a good thing. Not all queens and princess had a guardian, but when they do, it's best if the news didn't go with the wind. Usually only the monarch, very close family, and ones who make the equipment know who the guardian's identity. No one else knows unless there's a misstep and they reveal themselves."

Both Moon and River looked at Star. "That's most of the information about them. If you want to go through with it, all that's left is we talk to Marco," Moon said

"…"

"Star?" River asked.

"…How do I even ask him to do something like that? I mean, I'd be taking him to who knows where. You even said it was a warzone!" Star paused and spoke again, softly. "I want it to be him, but I don't know how to talk to him about it."

"I'm forgetting how new and sudden all of this is for you. We're sorry darling. How about this. I'll go talk to Marco for you. I'll explain what it is and what you think. What do you say?"

"You would do that, dad?"

"Anything for you. I'll go do that now." River got up from his seat and walked to the door. It was opened slowly and the king exited the room. Star and Moon were the last two to stay.

"Mom?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Can I ask you some things?"

"Well, we told you pretty much everything about the Elite Guardians. There's not really anything else to say about them."

"No, I mean like other stuff."

"I can't tell you everything you might want to know, but I'll say anything I can."

It was a simple and difficult request. There were things Star might want to know that she's just not allowed to yet. She might deserve to know them, but the security of some things had to come first.

"Did you have a guardian?"

A rough one right off the bat. Moon knew she had to be very careful with her wording.

"Actually, I did. He was a childhood friend. I can't tell you a name though."

"That's fair I guess," Star said. She was disappointed, but didn't show it. "How was the curse placed?"

Star wasn't going to make these questions easy. Moon rattled her head for an appropriate explanation.

"Star, do you remember the spell I used on Toffee, Eclipsa's spell? To heavily simplify it all, Eclipsa wasn't the only queen to dabble in 'dark' magic. Past queens have explored what it can do and how it affected things. That queen that cast the curse was one of those people. Curses are powerful though and take great energy. When the curse was finished, it sucked the life out of her to power the spell. She was the first queen to discover that type of magic by our records. Eclipsa was the only one to actually document her research. Consequently, she fell victim to her own creation."

"Wow, that's a lot to take in."

"I felt the same way when I first heard it too. It's a scary thought. Anything else?"

"Yea, what is the 'Guild of the Arcane?' There were a lot of them sitting down earlier."

"They're… mysterious, to say the least. The guild has been around for quite a while. Basically, they're magical scholars. They spend much of their lives studying aspects of magic. When we know a harvest will be bad, they bewitch the plants and make sure the normal amount is grown. They document and study magical artifacts when found. Enchant armor and weapons, there are endless things they do.

"But wait, I thought that you could only use magic if you were a Butterfly or had a wand?"

"For a common Mewman, that's true. The guild members devote their lives to research and testing. Take what you can learn in a lifetime and they double that. There's some process of how they're able to do it, but that's one of the only things they haven't told us. Somehow, each person has lifetimes of knowledge, all focused on magic."

"Those things like growing plants, why don't you do that? You are the queen, after all."

"If I were to do the things they do, it would drain me beyond belief. When it's an extensive project like that, usually every guild member participates in the ritual. It's long and hard, but at the end of it, it's less strenuous on everyone. The Butterfly line has an excellent aptitude for magic, but each Queen's complete knowledge is nothing compared to them."

"Ok, wow again."

Moon allowed herself to smile for the first time in a while. "Yes, it's always a fascination to anyone that hears about it."

"Scary too."

"Yes, scary too, but just the right amount. Nothing else then?"

"Yea, that about covers it. Thanks."

A solemn mood remained even though the question asking had ceased.

"Now that we're done, can I show you something?"

"What is it?"

"I'll show you, follow me."

Moon took Star to the other side of the room. She opened the door on the outside wall, unveiling a small balcony. Plants were hung from baskets. Assorted flowers grew in one bed and small berries grew in the other. It was now getting dark and the sky was lit by tiny bulbs.

"Sky is pretty," Moon said.

"Yea, Atarr and Arune are both full tonight."

"Yep. Good to see you haven't forgotten about Mewni in all that time away."

"Don't count on that." Star and Moon started to laugh.

"Then let me help you remember." Moon pointed up at the starry night sky. Small bits of magic shot from her finger as she started to draw in the air, tracing stars. She began more intricate details, connecting the stars with small and large streams of magic, curves and straight lines. When she was finished, the constellations looked like pictures from a book.

"That one, the one that looks like a warnicorn," Mood said. "It's called… well, I guess forgot too."

"Well, looks like I'm not the only−Wait, that looks like corn! And there, a mermaid."

"Yea, I see it too." Moon looked down to her hip and checked a pocket watch that had been hidden away from view. It was getting late. "Star, it's been a while since your father left. I'm going to go check up on what's happening."

"Ok mom," Star said. She didn't even look away from the sky to reply.

Following a few more minutes of star gazing, the pictures in the sky started to fade, leaving only the dots to guide. Star stood up and turned to the door, taking a final glance at the sky before going through the doors, closing them behind her.

Star continued out of the room entirely and through the hall Marco had went some time before. She walked until reaching the main courtyard placed near the center of the castle. Star sat on a nearby bench with a clear view of the sky. She took out a small, yellow notebook and pen. She started to write to write on the first page:

I'm scared.

Author's Note

This one was tricky. I wasn't really sure how I should have the Guardian explained to Star, but settled on comparing it to sheep. Tell me what you think of it. Still not sure if it was the best way to go about it.

Comments and criticism are welcomed.