Prompt: Maybe Stella should go to Solaria and see an old picture that her father hide from her. And there she sees two babies and then she tries to discover who is that person.

Submitter: Guest

Falling Star

"Mom! Dad!" Stella screamed as she ran up to her parents. Despite their separation, they still made a point to put their differences aside for Stella during the holidays.

"Sunshine, how are you? Have you been eating right? Has Brandon been treating you well?" King Radius asked as he looked down at his daughter.

"I'm fine and yes to all of the other questions. I wish Brandon could be here with us today." Stella sighed.

"I am sure that he wishes the same." Queen Luna smiled. Stella wrapped her arms around her parents and they walked inside of the palace, leaving the guards to carry Stella's multiple suitcases.

"So, what would you like to do first, darling?" King Radius asked.

"Honestly, I would just like to go to my room and relax. With all the exams and trainings, I haven't had a lot of sleep." Stella replied.

"Honey, you should try to keep up with your sleep. It is not healthy for someone to stay up to all hours of the night and plus, you'll get bags and dark circles under your eyes." Queen Luna scolded.

"I know, but Palladium's class really kicked my butt this semester. Both the field assignments and the written work made for long nights."

"No matter, they are over now and I say that if you want to get some sleep that is fine with me. Dinner's at seven." King Radius said.

"Thanks, Dad." Stella hugged her father and gave her mother a quick kiss on the cheek before heading off to her room.

Stella walked down the corridors of the palace when she saw from the corner of her eye, a door that she thought was permanently closed. There was always a lock on it and her father said that this door led to a storage of old rugs. However, when Stella looked through the crack, the room seemed too ornate to be filled with dusty rugs.

Stella glanced over both of her shoulders, checking to make sure that nobody was coming. When the coast was clear, she opened the large wooden door further and walked inside.

The room was dark and Stella could smell the dust. At least her father didn't lie about the old and dusty part. But when Stella cleared away the dust, she saw a room decorated with stars and baby furniture in the corner, no rugs.

Stella did not recognize any of the things as hers from when she was a baby. All of the photos had her in a room decorated with suns, not stars. And her crib was gold, not silver. Stella furrowed her brows in confusion as she walked further into the room. She was too busy looking around the room that she bumped her knee into a small end table, a photo album dropping on the floor.

Stella picked up the photo album and turned to one of the various pages to see a photo of her mother with two babies cradled in her arms. Stella's eyes widened in shock and so many questions came flooding to her mind. Who was that other baby? Is it mom's? Maybe it is just a cousin?

Stella quickly pulled the photo from the album and hid it in the waistband of her skirt. She had so many questions that needed to be answered.

The clock struck seven and Stella walked into the dining room to see her parents sitting in their usual spot at the opposite ends of the table.

"Ah, there you are, Stella." King Radius remarked as Stella stormed to her seat between the two.

"Stella, dear, is there something the matter?" Queen Luna asked, extending her hand to lightly touch Stella's but Stella quickly pulled back her hand.

Stella reached under the table to the waistband of her skirt and pulled out the photo. She set it in front of her.

"Who is this?" Stella asked sternly, hardly any emotion in her voice.

King Radius looked at Luna in shock.

"Where did you find that?" King Radius asked.

"It doesn't matter. I found it and now I have questions. Who is that? The other baby in mom's arms." Stella spat.

King Radius once again glanced at Queen Luna before letting out a sigh.

"We were going to tell you but with the divorce and you saving the universe, we never had the right time..."

"Who. Is. The. Baby?" Stella asked once again.

"Stella, sweetie. That is your sister." Luna replied softly.

"What?" Stella turned her head to her mother.

"You have...had...a twin sister. But shortly after you two were born, she had complications and passed away. She was two months old." Queen Luna looked as if she were about to cry, remembering the events of the past.

"I had a sister?" Stella whispered in shock. "What was her name?"

"Her name was Estrella. We knew you were going to take after your father's side of the family and become the Fairy of the Shining Sun. But Estrella took after my side of the family and would become the Fairy of the Shimmering Stars." Queen Luna let a tear escape her eye as she looked down at the table.

"What was she like? From the two months of knowing her?" Stella questions softly.

This time, King Radius answered, full of joy and life. "We called Estrella the good baby." King Radius chuckled, earning him a small glare from Stella. "You were always so energetic and for a baby could really wear us out. You were bright and as lively as the sun. Estrella was just like the night sky. She was quiet and found peace being rocked in your mother's arms."

"Unlike you who always wanted to be with your father." Queen Luna interjected, a smile on her face.

"I guess I was always a Daddy's Girl." Stella chuckled. Stella's face returned back to one of seriousness as she next her next question.

"How did she die?" Stella asked.

King Radius looked at Queen Luna and nodded, letting her know that he would answer.

"Estrella developed a heat disease. Her heart had become weak, unable to pump on it's own. We had a pacemaker placed in her, signaling her heart to beat and helping the muscles expand and contract. She was doing well and living a normal life. But one night, the pacemaker failed and her heart stopped beating. No blood was being sent to her brain and she died that night." King Radius explained.

"Where is she buried?" Stella asked, not remembering a marker in the royal graveyard.

"She isn't buried. She has joined the Fairy of the Shimmering Stars that have come before her. When they die, their body returns to the stardust that they were made out of and become a new star, dazzling the night sky." Queen Luna smiled, placing a hand on Stella's shoulder.

"I really wish that she could have been with me. I would have loved to have a sister growing up." Stella sighed.

"But she has been with you. Look up at the night sky and she will be there." Queen Luna replied.

"Which one is she?" Stella asked.

"The smallest, yet brightest star in the sky." King Radius said.

Stella looked at her parents and gave them each a small smile. The rest of the meal was spent talking about the short memories that her parents had with her sister, Stella hanging onto every word.

After dinner and of course dessert, Stella went to her room to get ready for the night. After she had changed into her nightgown, she grabbed her brush off of the nightstand and began to brush her long, golden locks. Stella found her way outside to her balcony and looking up at the night sky. She suddenly spotted the small star that twinkled with fervor. As Stella stared, the star seemed to grow with intensity.

"Hey sis," Stella nervously chuckled, "it's me, Stella. But I guess you already know that. How are you up there in the sky? Is it fun looking down on everything? It must be awful if you were afraid of heights." Stella let out a small laugh and then cleared her throat. " I wish I could have gotten to know you in person but in star form is cool too. Ugh, I guess what I am trying to say is, thank you for watching over me, and mom and dad. I love you." Stella smiled as she looked up at the sky.

Stella walked back inside her room and turned off the light. She climbed into bed and turned her face to the light of the stars. A faint sound in the wind whispering,

"I love you too."