Blessing Moon

Twenty-Eight: Strellemarè

A soft glow of pastel shades beckoned Beanni to her bedroom window, in her home at Iarest. A smile graced her lips as she stood taking in the subtleties of mid morning. Delicate petals upon thin, yet strong stems managed to fight their way through, to mark the passing of the cold season, Geimheim. The sweet, fragrant breeze whistled through the gap within Beanni's window as if to announce, in an inviting way, that Earrons had finally arrived. Beanni took in a deep breath and let it out as a peaceful warmth spread within her chest. How she longed for the warmth of Earrons. Geimheim felt so long this year. She had been trapped within cold uncertainty for far too long.

"Bay," a subtle whisper called out. "Bay? Are you there?" It was coming from amongst the sheets on her bed.

"Oz!" Relief washed over her, the prince seemed to be the only one who didn't feel the need to change and act weird, he spoke to her like he always did.

She jumped on the bed and slipped the mirror shard out from under her pillow. The bright light that shone from its surface stung her eyes at first, then it dimmed down and revealed Prince Oslac's smiling face.

"Good morning, Bay," he greeted her.

"Morning, Oz. I'm so glad to see your face. It's been weird at home."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, ever since Dad and I got back, everyone has been so distant, so cold. Mother and Aeron-Lius seem to be avoiding me. Even Dillan has been strangely vacant." Beanni let out a deep, sad sigh. "I don't know what has been said about me, what they all seem to know, but it feels like they are all angry with me. Well, Aeron-Lius was always angry with me, but now it's different. I mean, in a way, I think I'd prefer it if he would start hitting me again. At least I'd feel present. Right now around those three I feel like I'm a ghost. Like a lost spirit wandering through."

It felt good for Beanni to get that off of her chest. She suddenly felt a weight lift as she took a breath and looked into the mirror shard, where the Prince nodded and took in every word.

"What about your Dad? How has he been?"

"Oh, by the stars, Dad!" Beanni groaned. "He has been a paranoid wreck. I can't go anywhere or do anything without him asking after me. It's as if he is waiting for me to get taken away again at any moment!" Beanni rolled her eyes. "It is so frustrating!"

"He cares about you," Oslac said, shrugging his shoulders and added in a gentle tone, "I think I would be the same if I was him."

"What? You would act crazy and paranoid too?" Beanni scoffed. "Noted!"

Oslac responded with his warm laugh and Beanni couldn't help but smile, but then watched a solemn look quench the sparkle in his eyes.

"I missed you, Bay," he said quietly, in the most serious tone that Beanni has ever heard him use.

"I missed you too, Oz. You have no idea how much!" Beanni's response brought her best friend's shining smile back. "We need to figure out a way to meet up again! Goodness knows how though. I can't see it being as easy as before, not with how Dad is now."

"Well we won't need to worry about that for the next seven days, will we?" Oslac said, with a mischievous look on his face, a look that Beanni couldn't quite work out.

"What do you mean?"

"Strellemarè..." Oslac drew the name of the famous Earrons festival out slowly, underlining how ridiculous it was that Beanni had forgotten. "It's departing day tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah..." Dread gripped onto Beanni's heart. How was she to cope with a whole seven days camping in a forest with her family, the way they've been. The thought seemed dire. "I used to get so excited for Strellemarè... Now I can't think of anything worse!"