Frosted Dreams (NaNoWriMo2020)

Kanahā kūmālua

Hika curls up on her bed, hands wrapped around her belly. She feels empty, cold. She doesn't like it. She hates it. Her fire isn't back yet, and it's been a couple of days now. It should be back. But there isn't even a drop. Hika curls further inward on herself, kindling a star to warm herself. The scar on her stomach remains cold, but the rest of her does not.

Hika welcomes the heat, letting it serve as a replacement for her absent fire. It isn't quite the same, burning hotter than her flame. Even so, it's better than nothing. There is a knock on the doorframe and Hika rolls over, still curled in her tight ball. Jaak is standing there, tall and slim. He's dressed in midnight blue today, rather than the paler shade he seems to prefer. His expression dips into a frown.

"Are you alright, Hika?"

She shrugs, moving to sit up. Her star grows so she can wrap her arms around it and pull it against her chest. The star seems to extend its light and wrap around her in turn. A smile tries to tug at her lips but it isn't strong enough, quickly fading again.

"Hika?"

She shakes her head. "My fire is gone."

"But it'll come back."

Hika looks up at Jaak and sniffs. "It's been days. It should have taken til the next morning, if that, but not days."

"So what does it mean?"

"I don't know? What if my fire never comes back? I'm scared, Jaak. My fire is part of me. I don't want it to be gone."

Jaak frowns. "Is there anything you can do to change that if it's true?"

"No."

"Then don't worry about it, Hika. If it comes back, it comes back and that's wonderful. If it doesn't, won't it be better if you aren't panicking about it?"

"I suppose."

Jaak tilts his head and smiles. Frost sparks at his fingertips and he holds out his hand to Hika. She slowly places her hand in his and can't help but smile when blue fire blooms there. She has icefire, if not her normal fire. She bounces it back and forth in her hands before trying to pull the fire inside of herself. It helped restore her fire before, maybe it will do it now?

The fire melts into her skin, leaving a thin layer of ice that Jaak is quick to pull away. Hika can feel the kernel of warmth at her center, but it quickly fades. Hika tries to grip onto the slippery kernel and manages to tear a tiny sliver of it free before it disappears, shoving it into her heart.

She doesn't know if it will stay, but now that it is against her burning heart it doesn't seem to be fading. Just flickering gently with warmth. A small smile glows on her face at the hope that sliver of fire brings. Perhaps her fire will come back. It'll take time, yes, but if this is any indication, her fire will return. Hika glances at Jaak to see him watching her with a hesitant smile on his face.

"Something good?"

She nods. "When I absorbed the flame from the icefire, I managed to hold a kernel of it. It's still there."

"Is most of it not?"

Hika nods, grimacing slightly. "Most of the flame was absorbed and then dissipated, but I managed to tear this piece of it away before it too could disappear."

"How large is it compared to your normal store of flame?"

Hika frowns. "Like a snowflake in a blizzard, I suppose."

"That small?"

Hika scowls at him. "Yes. At least it's something!"

Jaak holds his hands up. "Calm down, calm down. I wasn't trying to be dismissive."

Hika sags, slumping back on the bed. "It's my fault. Without my flame, I don't feel like myself. I feel useless."

Jaak raises an eyebrow at her. "You're still the same you, fire or no. And you still have your stars, don't you?"

She raises an eyebrow at him. "Are you serious?"

Indeed, the star she's holding against her chest is easily visible. If he missed it . . . she might need to worry about his eyesight. Jaak laughs.

"I can see the star, Hika. I was trying to make a point."

Hika leans her head against the wall, frowning. "What do we do now?"

"What do you mean?"

"About your father. There's much we need to know."

"You still want to try and help him?"

"Of course I do, Jaak. If we can help, if I can help, I'm not going to stop now."

He gives her a small smile and shifts closer, leaning back against the wall. "I don't know how you can even trust me after what happened, let alone keep hunting for a solution. You're too good."

She shrugs. "I know something of family members doing harm. Maybe not to this extent, but my aunt Pele clashed with her other sister for a time, lava harming the sea. I wasn't there when this all happened, but I did hear of it at least."

Jaak stares at her for a few moments, his eyes shining, before he slides off the bed. He leaves the room and Hika sags. Did she say something wrong? Is he upset? But he's back a moment later, carrying a spherical object in his hands. It's the star orb, its black color seeming to be bottomless in his hands. Hika frowns at the sight of the ball of stars.

"Wha-"

Jaak shrugs. "It's time this leaves my possession. It's time to learn what it holds."

"But I thought-"

"I was told to give it to someone I cared about."

"Yes, but-"

"You think it can't be you?" Hika nods hesitantly. "Just because I've only known you for a short time doesn't mean I can't care for you already. You're my friend, Hika, if nothing else."

"But there was supposed to be something-"

Jaak shakes his head. "I know what I was told. Just as I know this is intended for you. By Yggdrasil, Hika, it's even got stars in it! Stop protesting."

She can't help but smile at his stubbornness and falls silent. Jaak moves to sit on the bed and stares down at the orb for a heartbeat. Then he turns to her and extends his hands with the orb nestled in his palm. Hika stares down at it and Jaak pushes his hands forward.

"Take it, Hika."

Slowly, gently, Hika lifts the ball from Jaak's hand. It lies there cradled in her palms for a moment before its form collapses into a shimmering puddle that shifts from black to ice-blue to pale gold.

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Kanahā kūmālima = forty-two, when counting

Were you expecting the orb to do that? Why do you think it did what it did? What does it mean? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out