Episode 112 Starfire
Starfire
“I vote we stay on the train this time.”
Cerian looks down at Arisanna where she sprawls across his lap in her leather dress and laughs. “I’m not eager for another adventure like the last one, but ending up in the hot springs with you was wonderful.”
“Mmm. Yes. I enjoyed that part. And I learned my lesson. If you vanish, I’m running after you right away.” There’s a dreamy note to her voice, and she looks completely at home lying on his lap like that. The thought draws out his smile as he gazes down at her.
“So what shall we do? Explore the train? I’m not certain there’s much here to see that we haven’t already seen.”
“There are probably other railcars.”
“More railcars like this one? Sounds scintillating.”
She laughs at his words before stretching with her arms over her head, and she leaves them there, completely relaxed in a way that draws on his fire.
Open and free. Holding nothing back, the way she offered herself to him in the real world before she fell asleep in his arms in the water in their bathtub when he was done loving her.
She barely stirred when he wrapped a warm towel around her and carried her to the bed.
That she feels so safe with him is hard to fathom. But she does. And he’ll spend his life being her safe place.
The way she’s his.
“I don’t even care where we go as long as I get to be with you,” she says softly. She’s clearly feeling close to him now. It’s surreal knowing he has that effect on her.
Before he can respond, the train whistles and the brakes squeal, and she groans.
They don’t have to get off the train, do they? Just because it’s stopping doesn’t mean they have to move.
“Let’s take this night off,” he says. “Stay here. Talk. Snuggle.”
“I love that you love to snuggle. You’re so full of surprises, Cerian. Delightful ones.”
“I like to snuggle with you.”
They sit and talk as the train stops, happily ignoring it.
“Do you feel like we’re doing something rebellious?” Arisanna asks.
The idea of her as a rebel almost makes him laugh.
“It’s just a train in a dream. Our dream.”
“Our magical dream.”
A loud whistle interrupts their conversation, and Cerian frowns.
“I think it wants us to get off,” Arisanna whispers, her smile fading.
“Perhaps.”
“Do you think Rominy and Elowyn’s heartlanding is like this?”
“I have no idea. Only that it’s probably on the water.”
“And one of them died.” Arisanna sits up, clearly disturbed by that thought as she curls against his chest, and he wraps his arms around her.
“Or both of them died.”
“Would that be better? I can’t decide.”
Cerian looks at her. “I certainly don’t want to live without you.”
“True. Perhaps it would be better. Though I think it would be best not to die at all.”
Cerian can’t argue with that, so he says nothing.
The train whistles again.
“I definitely think it wants us to get off.” Arisanna snuggles closer, and he sends some of his heat to her. It’s becoming a habit at this point.
“It does seem to be trying to tell us something.”
“Do you think we—”
Before she can finish, the train vanishes around them, and Cerian lands with a thud on the forest floor as Arisanna slams against his chest.
For a moment, neither of them says anything while he holds her close and she grips his shirt.
“I guess we’re getting off the train,” Arisanna whispers.
“That seems to be the case.”
He doesn’t loosen his hold on her as they sit up and look around. But it’s just their forest with the lake.
“What now?” Arisanna asks.
“I don’t know.”
“Cerian, look.”
He follows her gaze to the lake, where a unicorn drinks from the silvery water.
Is that why the heartlanding dumped them off the train? To look at a unicorn? He’s definitely seen a unicorn before.
“She’s beautiful,” Arisanna whispers.
Cerian eyes the unicorn more closely. “I believe he is beautiful.”
“Oh. Yes. That’s definitely not a she.” She buries her face against his shoulder, and he smiles.
As he watches the unicorn, its coat shimmers oddly, as if it’s changing.
“Arisanna, watch.”
She lifts her head again, and as the unicorn continues drinking, its pearly coat takes on a chestnut sheen. Glimmers of brownish-red start near its horn and spread along its neck, down its body and legs, all the way to its tail.
“I didn’t know unicorns changed color,” Arisanna whispers. “I thought they were all white until I met Stardust. But she’s silver. Does her coat change, too?”
A strange feeling spreads in the pit of Cerian’s stomach. “She changes, but rarely. She used to be black, when she belonged to my grandmother. My mother’s first mother. When Stardust was brought to my mother thirty years ago, she turned silver.”
“Fascinating. So why is this one suddenly red?”
Cerian glances at Arisanna before looking back at the unicorn.
“I think this one is mine. Or meant to be mine. Unicorns are very hard to tame. I’m not certain anyone but the Lothlesi have tamed one in centuries.
And when I say tamed, I really mean submitting to being spoiled in exchange for agreeing to be ridden occasionally.
But sometimes a unicorn will choose someone to belong to. ”
“And you think this one has chosen you?”
“That makes the most sense.”
“How can you tell?”
Cerian clears his throat. “It turned chestnut. The way my mother’s unicorn turned silver.”
“I don’t understand. Is red your favorite color? I assumed you’d prefer green.”
He stares at her. She guessed his favorite color was green?
“I do prefer green,” he says softly.
“Because you love the forest.”
He smiles in response and steals a soft kiss. “You know me well.”
“I’m learning to, my elven prince. So why red? Why did this unicorn turn red for you?”
“Because unicorns turn the color their companion’s heart loves,” he whispers. Then he fingers her hair, and her eyes grow wide.
“It turned chestnut to match my hair?”
“I believe so.”
“That’s why Stardust is silver? Because your father’s hair is silver?”
“Yes. He finds it amusing.”
“It is kind of funny to think of matching a unicorn.”
“It just means I love you with all my heart, and the unicorn’s magic knows it.”
She leans into him again, and he kisses her glorious hair.
“So what do we do now?” she asks. “Approach it?”
“I’m not certain. Tharios is the animal whisperer. He soothes creatures with his life magic.”
“Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me. But you have experience with Stardust. She’s very affectionate with you.”
“Unicorns can sense family bonds. Stardust loves me because my mother loves me.”
“And she nuzzled me because I’m yours?”
“Something like that. Come on.” Cerian helps Arisanna stand before rising beside her and brushing himself off. At least he broke her fall from the train.
The unicorn looks up at their movement but doesn’t run. He just studies them, tilting his head slightly as if curious.
Cerian steps around Arisanna and quietly approaches the lake as she follows. She’s not nearly as quiet as he is, though she seems to be trying. It makes him smile at her humanness. Most woodland elves move through the woods in near silence.
The unicorn watches them approach, only shifting slightly the closer they get.
Cerian stops about ten feet away. Unicorns don’t generally spook like deer do, but he’s never approached a wild one.
Only Stardust, who is very comfortable around people.
She was bred by the Lothlesi. She’s never known anything else. This unicorn is clearly wild, though.
“Hello,” Cerian says.
The unicorn huffs in response.
“I wish I had a sugared plum,” Cerian whispers as he holds out his hand, and one appears in his palm.
“A sugared plum?” Arisanna asks.
“Stardust would grow round on them if Mother let her. It’s her favorite treat.”
Slowly, he steps closer, his hand outstretched, and the unicorn whinnies before stepping away.
“It’s all right, boy. You know me. In your heart.” Cerian gently pats his own chest, and the unicorn studies him before looking at Arisanna. “That’s right. She’s mine. See how your coat matches her hair? I know this is new and scary, but it will be all right. I promise.”
Cerian takes another step closer, and the unicorn doesn’t move.
“I have something I think you’ll like. It’s called a sugared plum. My friend Stardust loves them.”
He steps again, and his hand hovers near the unicorn’s nose. Cerian waits for the unicorn to decide he’s ready, and eventually the magical creature sniffs at the plum before snatching it from Cerian’s palm.
“That’s right,” Cerian says.
When the plum is gone, the unicorn nudges Cerian’s hand.
“You want another one?” Cerian wishes for a second plum, and the unicorn gobbles it up as soon as it appears.
Then the unicorn pushes his warm nose against Cerian’s hand again, and Cerian laughs.
“You like sugared plums, don’t you? One more for tonight.
Then you can have an apple or a carrot. Too many sugared plums will give you a bellyache. ”
“Would it frighten you to know I’m imagining you with elflings now, my elven prince?” Arisanna whispers in his ear, and he turns to stare at her. Elflings?
The unicorn shoves his nose against Cerian’s hand, and Cerian quickly wishes for another plum as he tries to push thoughts of elflings aside.
Whistling wind.
The unicorn nudges him again, and Cerian holds out his empty hands. “All gone for tonight. How about a carrot?”
The unicorn huffs, and Arisanna grins beside Cerian. “He doesn’t seem to like that idea.”
The unicorn shifts his attention to Arisanna next, nuzzling her hair and stamping his foot.
“I think he knows he changed,” Cerian says. “He doesn’t understand why.”
“And you said Tharios is the animal whisperer.”
Cerian shrugs. “I like unicorns.”
“And this one likes me. Stars above.”
The unicorn noses at Arisanna’s neck, and she laughs.
“She’s mine,” Cerian says again.
Then the unicorn rubs its warm, wet nose on Cerian’s neck next.
“Yes, you can be mine, too. Do you have a name?”
“I don’t think he can talk,” Arisanna whispers.
“I don’t wish to call him the wrong thing.”
“I vote we call him Starfire.”
“Because he’s red?”
Arisanna nods.
“What do you think?” Cerian asks the unicorn. “Do you wish to be Starfire?”
The unicorn nickers and nuzzles Cerian’s neck again.
“I think he approves,” Arisanna says. “And I think you’re amazing. Full of delightful surprises.”
“I just wish he were real.” Cerian runs his hand along Starfire’s glossy neck as the unicorn continues to nuzzle him.
Smiling, Arisanna gently caresses Starfire’s face. “You never know. At times, I wonder if perhaps the heartlanding is closer to reality than we understand.”
The thought makes Cerian smile, and he turns to steal a kiss from her as Starfire nickers and nudges at both of them.
“He seems to approve of us kissing.” Arisanna laughs.
“Good, because I don’t think he and I could be friends if he didn’t.” Then Cerian pulls her into another kiss.