Page 3 of Heir Of Sun And Moon
“At least the Moon has the Stars,” she whispered, “yet I have no one.”
Years and years passed and the sun grew more sorrowful.
“I just want someone to talk to so I am not so alone.”
“You are not alone, little Sun,” said a voice that spoke all around her, feminine and sweet.
“Who are you?” the little sun asked.
“I am a friend. I have always been here, but you have been too sad to truly notice.”
“But I cannot see you now,” the sun cried.
“Almost, little Sun. When you hover over the horizon, look to the east.”
Anticipation filled the little sun. Finally, she had someone to call a friend.
When she floated over the horizon, the little sun looked east as the voice suggested. At first she saw nothing, but then, a circle of silver light grew in the distance.
“Is that you?” the sun whispered in awe.
“It is, my little Sun.”
“But you are the Moon. I did not think we could ever be out at the same time.”
“I’ve always been here, little Sun, waiting for you to notice me,” the moon said softly.
“You glow so beautifully.”
“It is because of you. Your light makes me shine. Just like it makes everything around you brighter.”
The little sun sighed.
“Sometimes I do not feel like I make anything shine,” the sun lamented.
“My little Sun, you bring balance to the Night. This world would not exist if not for you.” The sun could sense the radiant truth in those words.
“Do I truly make you gleam?” the little sun wondered.
“Your light is the only thing that does.”
The little sun felt happy that she had helped make something look so lovely.
“We don’t get much time together, but look to the east, little Sun, and when we’re both in the Middle, between Day and Night, I will be here with you. You are never alone.”
“Forever?” the little sun asked.
“Forever,” the moon answered.
Closing the book, a shaky exhale leaves my lips as a single tear slides down my cheek. I lean my head back against the cold stone wall, finding the moon in the sky—a shining beacon amongst the black—surrounded by all its tiny friends that sparkle like diamonds.
“At least the moon has the stars,” I whisper before holding my breath. I know the moon won’t answer, but that doesn’t stop the flutter of hope that blossoms in my gut every time I utter those words. Hope that a lovely voice will beckon to me, telling me I’m not alone. I sometimes imagine my mother answering although I wouldn’t know her voice if she did—she, along with my father, died the very night I was born. When I’m met with the silence I expect, my eyes drop back down to the book, sadness weighing on my bones.
As if she was summoned by my emotions, I hear Bella’s giant paws pad down the metal stairs in search of me. When she enters the room, her eyes scan mine in question. I don’t know if animals are supposed to be this expressive, this intuitive, but Bella always has been. I shrug a shoulder, the corners of my mouth lifting up in a smile that doesn’t quite make it to my eyes. Bella huffs out a noise that sounds suspiciously like a sigh and walks closer to nudge me with her nose, a silent plea to make room for her on the bench. Her warmth seeps into me as she climbs up and curls her body next to mine. I cuddle into her, keeping my gaze on the moon. “The moon may have the stars, but at least I have you,” I say quietly, giving Bella one more scratch behind her pointed ears. Her eyes close, and soon her breathing is deeper, sleep finding her easily.How lucky.
I watch the sun rise from my balcony, reveling in its golden rays as they pour over my skin. Breathing deeply, my eyes fall shut as I catch the scent of the freshly blooming flowers below. It’s spring in the Mortal Kingdom, and while the days are beginning to warm up to a comfortable temperature, mornings and evenings are still quite chilly. Wrapping the blanket around my shoulders more tightly, I urge the wind to dry my post-bath hair more quickly.
My tower is set apart from the main castle, a long stone bridge just out of my line of sight is the only thing connecting the two. It was an old watch tower that not only housed the occasional guard, but also, at one point, weapons and other things that Alexi told me about, which I then promptly forgot.
