Twilight hours reared their head upon the fourth day of Strellemarè, Lorren gathered the plates of their evening meal together as Lorrus stoked the flames of the campfire. These movements on the middle day meant only one thing - it was time for the light magic show. Starting with the head of the family, they all would take it in turns to share a story through the medium of light orb projections. This activity was a tradition that was added to the Earrons holiday by Queen Amber - who was famous for her utter enthusiasm for this Natanstrellean pastime, as well as being the one who brought an end to the destructive Noir Era.
The air around the small campfire lit up with splendid colour as each of them took their turn to showcase what they planned to share; they decided to go in order of age so Beanni, of course, had to wait to the very end.
Her turn came closer and closer and as Oslac took out his light orb and grew it in his hand, Beanni felt for her own light orb through her pouch, knowing her turn was only moments away. She glanced at the light in Oslac's hand, took in the pure white contents of her best friend's orb and instantly noticed something missing.
"Oz, where is your violet light? I can't see it," she asked, then felt the heavy gaze of her father on her. "Sorry, I... I didn't mean to interrupt..."
Oslac said nothing, he just sat there staring into the orb that sat ready on his open palm.
"Oz? I'm sorry, please go ahead."
She noticed his bottom lip tremble, but then he snapped out of it with a shake of his head and a shallow sigh.
"Right! My story!" he said with a smile, which Beanni noticed to be forced, however she decided against pressing further. She wiggled upon the log, to get more comfortable and politely waited for him to start.
"I decided to show you all what I can see from my chamber window at Astrid Palace," he introduced his light show in his best storyteller voice.
Golden and white rays stretched out from his orb. They coiled their way through the air and formed the perfect likeness of the buildings of Eartem, then formed the surrounding white wall around Central City and the buildings that were separated from the Eastern village. The well known streets twinkled with gold and white splendour. However, his light display was not yet finished, sparks of green, blue and deep purple light flitted into the air and joined the picture - adding the tops of the trees of Night forest, and beyond that the peaceful blue waters of the Natanstrelle Ocean. Beanni took it all in with wide eyes.
"I wake up every morning and look out at that. I am always amazed at how beautiful my home is," the prince continued, his eyes lost within the landscape he had created with his light magic.
"You can see all that?" Dillan gasped, not able to look away from the beautiful projection.
"Wow! How the Royals live..." Aeron-Lius pitched in, just as mesmerised.
"Natanstrelle, a place of beauty, rich in culture, full of mystery and life changing history," Oslac carried on reciting what he had planned to say. "Illuminare-Trabem only knows what else is in store for the people who live in this wonderful place."
"Let's hope it is a future full of light and not darkness..." Lorrus joined in the sentiment.
His wife said nothing and got to her feet, as she did so Oslac drew his light projection back to his left hand.
"Lorren, where are you going?" Lorrus asked her.
"I erm... hot cocoa..." she stammered an awkward answer. "I must get the hot cocoa ready."
"All in good time, my love, Beanni hasn't had her go yet." He reached out his hand towards her, beckoning to her to sit back down. Lorren's bottom lip trembled and she stared across the campfire towards her two sons. Dillan gave her a look plagued with guilt and bowed his head.
"Lorren?" Lorrus called up to her, not noticing the change in his son's demeanour. Lorren let out a long calming sigh and slowly sat back down.
"I'm sorry, I got ahead of myself there, your turn Beanni." Lorren gave Beanni an encouraging nod and a shaky smile, before her eyes glanced back towards Dillan, who sat staring at his fidgeting hands that lay in his lap.
Beanni shook her head once she realised that she was staring at her brother. She turned her focus towards her pouch and fumbled for her light orb.
"Erm, I-I wanted to show you all a few of my favourite things," she said as she grew her light orb in her hand. She closed her eyes to help focus her thoughts, then pictured, in her mind's eye, the fountain where she usually met Oz, with its rippling waters and the twinkling golden light that reflected on its surface. She opened her eyes and the scene she just saw in her head was floating in the air before her. "I love the fountain, it's a beautiful and peaceful place, and Strelle fo bhlàth is my favourite flower." A flicker of violet light formed into eight individual teardrop petals that floated in a row. They danced around the fountain in a graceful whirl, then joined together to form a delicate looking eight-pointed, star-shaped flower. "I love my warm jumper," she added, then made thin lines of green light slither through the air and knit together to represent the jumper that was currently hanging up to dry beside the main tent. "I could never part with that jumper, the jumper that keeps me safe, it..."
She suddenly went quiet as her mind slipped to a place that she had been trying so hard to avoid. A strange echoey sound took over her thoughts.
"Meow..."
"What is that?" she heard Aeron-Lius ask. He sounded distant, his voice muffled as if he was speaking underwater. Beanni blinked her eyes and focused on her light projection, and there standing on the edge of the fountain was a black and white furry creature.
"T-that is a... that's a..." A sudden wave of anxiety grabbed her and in a flustered panic she drew the light magic back into her light orb and with chaotic movement, she struggled to get it back into her pouch.
"Here, let me help you," Oslac offered gently, as Lorrus made his way around the campfire towards her. With Oslac's assistance she managed to get the orb back into her pouch and she let out a shaky sigh as she felt her father's arm hug around her.
"You're okay, you're safe," he whispered over her, and rocked her back and forth.
For a while all that could be heard within the camp was the sound of the gentle breeze, and the subtle crackle of the fire.
"So," Lorren's voice cut through the thick silence. "Who is ready for hot cocoa?"
That night as Beanni rested her head upon her pillow, she fought to quieten the thoughts that plagued her sleep-hungry mind. Everytime she closed her eyes she saw Genelle's intimidating glare, the choking eternal smoke and visions of the strange world that she was forced to learn about. These were memories that filled her heart with dread, that made her feel like she was back in that terrible place. Ever since the last dose of sleeping potion wore off she'd longed for another, just so her thoughts would be silenced for one more night.
She lay in the dark, her eyes wide open. A heavy sigh left her chest. She knew if she tried to close her eyes again her mind would be dragged back to Strelle, back to uncertainty and fear.
"Stop... Please," she hissed at herself.
She wanted to pull her hair out, to scratch her fingernails into her face to dig the uncertainty out from under her skin.
"Just turn off please!" she whimpered, covering her face with trembling hands.
"Beanni..." she heard a whisper, it sounded as though it was trying to tickle the back of her neck. She sat up and looked towards the door flap that separated her from the rest of the main tent. It was still tied closed, nobody was there.
"Beanni..." the whisper sounded again.
She got up and untied her door and peered out. The tent was still, there was no sign of life. However, the voice sounded so real, she needed to find out where it came from. She tip-toed towards her parents' section of the tent, peered through a gap within their doorway and saw that they were both fast asleep; not only that, there were tiny flickers of white light floating around their faces.
"What's that?" she pondered under her breath. Suddenly similar flickers appeared in her peripheral vision making her turn towards the main entrance of the tent. At the door shone a distinct ray of pure white light and tiny stars floated up from the ground and disappeared when they reached the ceiling. She walked towards the light and held out her hand to feel its warmth. As she did so it moved through the tent's doorway, managed, somehow, to untie its cords and leave it wide open for her to step through. It led her into the open clearing, lighting her way through the deep darkness of night.
"Beanni..." she heard the whisper again, this time it sounded as though it was dancing upon the cool Earrons breeze. She turned her head towards the direction it seemed to come from.
"Bay?" A much louder voice made her jump. "Bay, what's... err..." The ray of light magic lit up Oslac's bewildered face as he took it in.
"Beanni..." the whispering continued calling her.
"Can you hear the voice, Oz?"
"Voice? What voice? I just see the...the floating stars..." Oslac answered, not looking away from the light. His eyes followed the floating flickers that danced, non-stop, towards the sky.
"Come with me, Oz." Beanni held out her hand. "It's calling me to Luna Lake." When Oslac failed to respond, she grabbed his hand, making him shake out of his reverie. "Come on."
At that moment the ray of light disappeared and the Strelle fo Bhlàth growing yards away from the camp began to glow, as if they beckoned them towards the trees. Beanni led the mystified prince out of the clearing.
Once they got further between the trees, fungi that sat waiting upon their natural seats began to glow in a rainbow of colour, which helped them to find their way. Soon they reached the Gealach Custos and just beyond those special trees, lay the lapping waters of Luna Lake that began to shine as Beanni and Oslac approached the pebble-covered shore.
"Beanni?" The whispering voice sounded much clearer now. It was coming from the shining, silver water.
Beanni knelt down so close to the lake that water caressed her knees in perfectly timed waves.
"Oz? Will you join me?" she asked over her shoulder with an inviting smile. Her friend who hung back, moved tentatively towards her and knelt down by her side.
They both looked into the water together.
"Am I supposed to be seeing something?" Oslac asked after a couple of minutes of watching the silver lake's gentle ripples.
Suddenly a face appeared just under the water's surface.
"Woah!" Oslac called out. "Who's that?"
"Ethan!" Beanni exclaimed.
"Beanni, there you are! Took you long enough!" The same voice that called her to the lake sounded from the reflection's lips. "Who's that with you?"
"Oh, this is Prince Oz..." Beanni began, but then a more pressing matter interrupted her thoughts. "Wait, you can see us? I thought you could only hear me."
"Of course I can see you. You're connecting with me through Gealach Trabem's light. The Moon's power strengthens the violet light inside of you. I can see the glow in your eyes growing brighter as we speak," Ethan answered in his all-knowing way. "I would've always been able to see you if you took heed to Illuminare-Trabem's words."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Don't you remember? He told you that there was a better way to find the truth." A hint of exasperation spiked his voice. "Eternal smoke is not reliable, Beanni." He reprimanded her, then added in a much kinder and understanding tone. "Have Natanstrelleans failed to pass down such knowledge?"
Beanni sat there mouth agape as Ethan spoke. Then after taking a few moments to compose herself she licked her dry lips.
"That was Illuminare-Trabem?" Her eyes filled with wonder.
"What? Do you mean to tell me that that was the first time you've heard his voice?"
"The first time?" Beanni blurted out. "Nobody hears his voice."
"What? Nobody?" A look of deep dread weighed down on Ethan's face and he then turned his focus onto Oslac who knelt in silence, taking everything in. "Not even you, Prince?"
Oslac, taken aback, took a minute or so to answer, it was as if he didn't realise that it was him the strange man was speaking to at first.
"I-I... N-no. Illuminare-Trabem hasn't spoken to Natanstrelleans since Queen Amber died we believe. Well that was the last recorded encounter." Oslac explained.
"Oh... by the stars... time is running out!" Ethan gasped. "I thought we had more time!"
"What are you talking about?" Oslac responded before Beanni could let the ancient magic's worried outburst sink in. "Bay, who is this man?"