The Sun and Moon and Stars

Chapter XIII

With one swift movement, he pulled her up onto the branch beside him and wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her balance. Her heeled boots threatened to trip her up but Julian was sturdy. He maneuvered her in front of him, his head hanging above her shoulder.

"You see that one?" he said near her ear, pointing to a large bright star. "That is my older brother. He was the bright one in the family. Smart, kind, gentle, responsible...he was my best friend..." His voice trailed off.

Frances laid her hand on one of his wrapped around her waist. "I'm sorry. How did he die?"

"A horse kicked him in the head." He chuckled softly. "He never did take too well to them. Do you see the small one right beside?"

Frances nodded.

"That one would be my father. He wasn't a great man; didn't do much with his life. But he was a teacher and he loved what he did even though it didn't always see us comfortably through a winter. But he was so proud of my brother...almost never let him out of his sight. Always nearby."

Frances could feel him tense up behind her and she quickly pointed to another star. "That is my older brother's child. It was going to be his second, but his wife fell down a flight of stairs. A maid had waxed the floor and had forgotten to tell anyone."

"That's horrible. What happened?"

"The maid was dismissed but not because she was blamed. It was just that my brother's wife would break down in tears every time she saw her. They have other children now, though, so it's all right."

"My brother had a wife who was expecting their first child when he died. A year later, the child died of smallpox. The girl returned to her family."

Frances sighed. There was so much death surrounding this family. From every side they were attacked by pain and loss. But even in the face of more imminent death, Julian still stood fast. He never flinched.

Frances let herself relax against Julian. Biting her lip, she hesitantly pointed to a star. It was plain, of average size and brightness. But it was more blue than gold.

"Which one is that?" Julian asked.

"That was my fiancé." She smiled sadly, her voice catching in her throat. "He died two years ago from scarlet fever. We were to be married two months later."

Julian tightened his arms around her. She patted his arm reassuringly and cleared her throat. "The children want to see you. Winnie has no more stories to tell."

Without a single word, Julian moved Frances to the trunk for balance before vaulting down. Frances sat down and slid into his arms. As her feet touched the ground, the reality of what had happened hit her and she stepped away from him. Her arms burned from here he had held her.

They walked to the house in silence, Frances always ensuring that Julian stayed two steps away. As they stepped inside, the warmth made her arms tingle even more. She stumbled through the dark parlor, the timid moonlight in the window doing little to light her path. Her shins hit the sofa and she nearly flipped onto it. Julian grabbed her arm and steadied her. She tried to pull away from his grasp, but his fingers held fast.

"Hey, hey, hey..." He soothed, redirecting her to the bottom of the staircase. "You might hurt yourself."

"I'm fine." Frances tugged away and scampered up the steps. She slipped back into the children's room, Julian catching the door as closed it behind her.

With a furrowed brow and pursed lips sent in her direction, he met his children's shrieks and laughter with a chuckle.

Frances could nearly feel Helena's disapproving eyes on the back of her head, her tsk-tsking at the noise as she tried to sleep. But Frances waited for Julian. But he did nothing to calm the room down.