Celestial

Of Phares and Lodestars

The most ardent feeling are the ones concealed by silence. A romance isn't a romance if some sort of contradiction isn't involved — and indeed, the two were different.

In fact, they were so different that the possibility of their falling in love with each other was almost non-existent. But since listing all their differences can take the night (and how precious such nights are for lovers), suffice it to say that he was a heavenly being in earthly garments while she was a human being trapped in a celestial cage. Or that he was a sailor who welcomed the unknown like an old friend while she was expected to bear signs of that very unknown. Or to make matters more simple, he was a North Star only she could cherish and adore while she was the North Star to everybody but herself.

Polaris... that was the name he gave her, a name she held dear because it came from him.

It reminded her of the first time they met — mind, it reminded her of the first time he noticed her, for she had always been aware of his existence, but her timidity had prevented her from bringing attention to herself. She was content with watching him from afar, sometimes finding enough courage to consider getting closer, then an equal amount of shyness to decide not to.

But that night — the night they first met, the night he first noticed her —  she felt something was even more different than usual. For a moment Polaris couldn't tell if the change had been in him or herself.

His smile, of which the moon once confessed how jealous he was,  illuminated his face as it had always done. His eyes, compared to which the brightest stars should feel humble, still had that merry twinkle dancing in them. These were the two things that Polaris admired most about him, and had they altered, she would have surely noticed.

Yet something felt wrong...

Polaris remembered how the agile breeze would sometimes tickle his hair, but never before had she recalled the breeze doing so with such cruel vehemence. She remembered how her lover would scrunch up his nose at the breeze's playfulness, but never before had she seen him squinting so hard as though unable to open his eyes.

Realisation struck Polaris as abruptly as the bolt of lightning hit the sky.

In response, a roar of thunder escaped the sky's mouth, a cry of fear from Polaris accompanying it. The wind let out a long howl, then the clouds gathered and commenced their nervous chattering. The perfect silence which had previously dominated the night suddenly turned into a tumult of unintelligible voices.

But Polaris's main concern was him.

She watched helplessly as the wind grow more violent and apparently more determined to cause harm and damage. His ship swayed in the sea like a paper boat against the mighty storm, yet he faced it with unshaken nerve. Soon, unfortunately, Polaris's view became blurred. At first she blamed it on the clouds, but when she could no longer see her lover (or anything else for that matter), she knew there must be another reason.

Something was trying to leave the Earth and reach the sky, Polaris guessed. A stranger - or maybe one of the Earth's innumerable creatures to which Polaris normally paid no attention. Whatever it was, the hostility it showed caused Polaris to be anxious. She couldn't tell if her lover's outstanding determination would survive in the face of this unnamed monster. She had to do something, she couldn't risk it!

"Make it stop," Polaris begged the sky, her voice quivering. The two had never been close before, but that was her only hope. "Please… I'll do anything for you."

"Like I have a choice?" the sky bellowed, and it wasn't clear whether her pain was more evident or her fury.

"Then what can I do?" said Polaris, glancing down in the hope that she would catch a glimpse of him. She still saw nothing. "Tell me what I can do!"

The sky didn't answer. Instead she emitted another roar, something which Polaris took as a sign that she should seek help from someone else.

"Please! Make it stop," screamed Polaris at no one in particular. "I'll do anything, but I beg you, don't hurt him... Just answer me!"

But it was like everyone had gone hiding and left her alone. She sobbed, thinking about the fate of the brave man below. She wanted to help him, but how? She needed a miracle, while all she had was herself.

Polaris closed her eyes, weeping as every atom of hope left her and drifted away to an unknown destination. She remained thus for a while, incoherent thoughts buzzing in her head, none of them helping. Time had passed and Polaris didn't realise that she had cried herself to sleep.

When she opened her eyes again, she found that everything was as serene as it had been before the storm. It gave Polaris a momentarily feeling that it all had been a nightmare; that storms were but a ridiculous idea, too vulgar to take place in such a peaceful world.

Polaris turned left and right and caught sight of the moon, who was, for some reason, smirking. She gave him a puzzled look. The moon merely winked and beckoned her to look down.

And no sooner had Polaris followed the moon's gesture than a part of her wished she hadn't. Another part, however, wished she had done that much earlier. Gazing at her, a vivid smile on his lips, was none other than him.

"Thank you," he said, and these two words rolled off his tongue like a mesmerising hymn. "You saved my life."

His mere presence had always been impressive for Polaris. But now that he was talking to her, she became too overwhelmed to remember how to speak.

"Am I bothering you?" he inquired, a small frown creasing his forehead. "If this is the case, then I deeply apologi-"

"No," Polaris breathed. "You aren't bothering me by any means."

"I am happy to hear that." he beamed, tilting her head at her. "I merely wished to express my genuine gratitude. I couldn't have survived if it hadn't been for you."

"What was that monster?" Polaris asked quickly as she had forgotten how to respond to such compliments. "The one in the sea, who was trying to harm you."

"Ah, you must mean the waves?"

Polaris nodded.

He let out a soft chuckle. "Yes, they do become monstrous when they are angry, but otherwise they are very helpful friends. And do you know who else I think would make a good friend?"

Me? Polaris thought, but her tongue refused to utter this answer. "I don't know."

"You," he answered simply. "If, of course, you don't mind this friendship, er... I beg pardon, but what is your name?"

"I don't know," Polaris heard her own voice say somewhere in the distance, as her mind was busy repeating his offer over and over again.

"Let us see, then." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How about... Polaris? Do you like it?"

"It's a great name," she replied, suddenly awakened by the suggestion, though still finding it quite difficult to think properly. "Thank you."

He gave her a polite nod, then looked away and fixed his penetrating gaze upon the horizon. He ran his long fingers through his hair and heaved a sigh. Was he thinking about his next adventure? Polaris didn't know for sure, but the dreamy look on his face made that likely. And though his abrupt silence made her wonder if she had said or done something wrong, Polaris was glad to find another chance to contemplate him as was her habit — and so she gladly did, until he decided to speak again.

"Oh, Polaris. How beautiful you are."

***
Author's note:

Here's another story added to this collection. I don't remember what inspired me to write this one, which is strange, considering that the previous stories were a result of stargazing and/or being in my bestest best mood.

But since it's been a long time since I last did the former, and an almost equal while since I was in the latter, I might regard this story as some sort of a rare beneficial mutation. XD

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. ❤ 🌌