Beneath the Dark Crystal

Chapter 15

Aughra huffs while pacing around the large balcony of the castle, feeling the slight rumble from Mount Thranir from under her feet. "Hm. Rumbling spitting death-dogs of doom! Huh! End of it all, that's what!" Aughra looks out towards the volcanic eruption and squints her one eye.

"What then, hm? What begins? Why would suns and stars not tell? Hmph!"

" 'When the mind is unclear, listen to the heart'," Kira quotes from her seat.

Aughra looks back at Kira with a questionable gaze. "What? What's that, gelfling? Huh? What fiddle-foolery now?"

Kira stands up and walks over next to Aughra, staring off into the distance. She closes her eyes and relishes in the past memories of her and her daughter.

She remembered Mavra fluttering about in her room and getting irritated every time she fell flat on her face. She would say, "Oh, mother, I'll never be like the other gelfling girls! I don't understand. I've got the technique. Why am I such a late bloomer?! I'll never ever be able to fly ..."

Kira smiled down at her child and gave her a big hug. "Darling, you're not a late bloomer. You just ... have to believe in yourself. Remember: When the mind is unclear, listen to the heart." She tilted Mavra's chin up and kissed away her small tears, making Mavra laugh and hug her mother, who returned it.

Kira opens her eyes once again and sighs, hugging herself. "It was a phrase I heard long ago. I told Mavra that very same quote when she was doubting herself. I found comfort in those words, so that's why I told her," She looks over at Aughra and asks, "Don't you find that quote comforting?"

Aughra eyes down Kira before turning from her in a huff. What a ridiculous quote, she thought, arms crossed. Kira looks down and nods, sitting back down and listening to the humming of the mystics.

"Aughra, I don't understand what's happening to Thra either. Nor do I know what magic flows through the mystics' song. But I know it gives me comfort. Jen hears it, too ..." She says, closing her eyes and becoming shocked when she opens them once again and finds herself in a completely purple world.

~

Kira looked down to see that she was younger and wearing her old clothes from when she was living within the forest of Thra. She smiles and stands up, calling out for her husband, realizing she was in a dreamfast. "Jen? Jen!" She exclaims happily, seeing her younger lover sat down by the mossy grass.

"Oh, Jen, I wasn't sure the Crystal's light would be strong enough to dreamfast. Are you well, my love?" She asks giving him a hug.

He sighs happily and reruns it. "Oh ... I'm just ... tired. That's all."

Kira frowns and breaks the hug, caressing his cheek. "But troubled. I can tell."

Jen looks down sadly, bringing his hand up as a purple garthim sceptre floats in the air next to them.

He glares at it while ranting to his wife, "It's just ... Mavra and the one's who took the shard, Kensho and Thurma. I know they aren't evil. I-I'm not sure they're even wrong. Our daughter has run off with them. They have to be her friends. We taught her well enough to be good and make the right choices, right?" He stares at Kira for confirmation, but she only continues to caress his cheek and smile.

"Oh, Jen. You must have faith in yourself. As a king and as a father."

The two look over to their side as a little Mavra runs around, playing hide and seek with her parents. She giggles, hiding behind a pillar and trying to keep quiet. Jen appeared behind her and scooped her up in his arms, swinging her about playfully as Kira watched the two with love. All three of them laughed and joined in on a group hug. Jen feels a smile tug at his lips, recalling that memory. His eyes land back on the sceptre and his smile falters. "But ... my hand lays on the garthin sceptre. This can't be the right way."