(The Children of Natanstrelle)

The sound of squealing laughter resounded through the air as the first of the Natanstrellean children ran and played together amongst the streets of Chridocus. The light of the stars shone upon their mixed features, a perfect balance of Troglobha and Sìthicris blood. Their parents doted on them, they were so proud of how their love overcame past hatred and produced such a happy, unified future for the land.

However, one feature in particular baffled both tribes; their children's eyes did not glow - not with the magic of the Sìthicris or the fires of Troglobha. It was as if mixing magic and fire cancelled their glow out somehow, only to leave muted colour in their place. Although, the happy parents saw beauty in what they'd made, the Sìthicris in particular worried about what this could mean. If there was no glow within the children's eyes, did this mean that their magic and their tribe's ways were going to die out? This was a question that plagued Chief Dìonad and many others' minds, so they sought answers within the smoke - much to Vidurram and Severton's chagrin.

"Hey Vidorea, when is it supper? I'm starving!" Sevopri piped up from the group of gathered mothers sitting outside the main tent.

"Oh! I'm not surprised, it's getting late! I guess we can start supper without the men this evening. Illuminare-Trabem only knows what's taking them!" Vidorea said, whilst making her way to the hearth inside the tent. Two of the mothers, one Sìthicris and one Troglobha, followed her to help.

"You are always starving, Sevopri!" joked a Troglobha mother that lay peacefully on the ground beside the small, yellow Sìthicris.

"Oh come on now, Maria, I'm sure you remember quite well how it is!" Sevopri retorted, matching her friend's energy, whilst stroking her bloated belly.

"Oh I do, I do indeed," Maria responded with a warm smile. She then pushed herself up from the ground so that she was sitting up-right beside the pregnant Fairy. "How is young Strellum taking to the idea of having another sibling?"

"Oh, he doesn't seem to be bothered really, unlike his father, Sev's always got that huge smile on his face, like he's waiting to receive treasure! You know, sometimes I think he wants us to populate Natanstrelle all by ourselves!" Sevopri punctuated her rant with a roll of her glowing yellow eyes. She then met Maria's fiery gaze and they both burst into laughter.

"You two are incredible! You really are!" Maria managed to say whilst her shoulders shook.

"I think so too." Their laughter abruptly stopped as soon as they heard Vidorea's voice from the doorway. "I can't believe you are having your third child, Sevopri, I couldn't be happier for you."

The happiness that Vidorea tried her hardest to show did not reach the violet glow of her eyes.

"Thank you Vidorea," Sevopri answered quietly, whilst focusing on her fingers stroking along her enlarged abdomen. "I'm sure it will happen for you again soon though, Illuminare-Trabem willing."

Vidorea nodded her head, she dared not speak more about it in fear of crying in front of her friends again. She turned around and headed back inside.

"Poor thing, it really upsets her doesn't it?" Maria whispered looking over her shoulder towards the closed doorway to the main tent.

"Yeah, but she has Beanni who is a true gem!" Sevopri said with a wide smile as she saw the fiery-haired five year old skip in front of her.

"Indeed! And she'll always be the first of the Natanstrellean children. No one can take that from her or her parents!" Maria added, then felt Sevopri's dainty hand pat her shoulder.

"You're right about that!" the yellow Fairy said in agreement, then clapped her hands together. "Right! Better get these little treasures inside ready to be fed!"

Sevopri began the struggle to her feet and Maria quickly caught her elbow to help heave her up. They called the children by name and watched them run obediently towards the tent.

The five mothers and their Natanstrellean children all sat in a circle surrounding the feast that Vidorea and her two helpers set out. They all helped themselves to fruit, fish and bread. Lenla (the orange Sìthicris once known as Pula) fed her youngest, holding him snugly in her arms, his tiny mahogany hand squeezed the blanket that was wrapped around him. Vidorea watched the orange-haired Sìthicris longingly, but once she caught herself staring she shook her head and reached for a green apple that sat in a basket in front of her. She raised it to her lips and just before she could take a bite the sound of the door to the main tent flapped open.

"Oh, Sev! Finally!" Sevopri beamed up at her husband.

"Sorry we were gone so long today, time ran away from us," Severton apologised as he sat down. He gently stroked his strong hand along his wife's yellow curls and gave her a tender kiss before turning towards his two sons, who made their way to climb onto his lap.

"The cloudy-eyed Sìthicris in the mauve tent would not listen to reason," Vidurram added as he took his place beside Vidorea. He hugged his arm around his wife's shoulders and reached for some bread.

"Wasn't Father there?"

"The Chief was indeed there!" Lennox, said from his place beside the orange Sìthicris. He stroked his baby gently with his finger, its colour matching the child's cheek perfectly. "He is the one that is encouraging the gazers to seek more answers in the smoke!" he added, then turned towards the food.

"Gazers!" Lenla scoffed. "That's a nice title they've given themselves! I think Fiosolim would be a better word for them!"

"Fiosolim! That is very good Lenla!" Sevopri giggled.

"That's a word I have not heard before," Maria declared, not wanting to miss out on a joke.

"Fiosolim translates to - one who knows," Mach, Maria's blue-haired husband explained.

"But why is that funny?"

"It's not a compliment. The word is a slur that we use for those who don't know when to be quiet."

"Wait, one moment! You've called me that word before!" Cùrette piped up, turning towards her husband. The look she gave him made all the men shake with silent laughter.

"I'm sorry, my love, but you cannot deny it was called for at times," Cùram said with a twinkle in his glowing emerald eyes.

"I don't know what you mean!" Cùrette said defensively. Her incredulous expression caused the rest of the party to burst into loud laughter.

Cùram kissed his wife's brow, making her relax instantly. With a playful smile, she hit Cùram's shoulder and returned his kiss.

"All joking aside though," Vidorea started once the laughter began to die down. "Have the Fiosolim managed to see anything useful from the smoke?"

"Oh dear, has that name stuck now?" Sevopri said, winking at the orange fairy sitting opposite her in the circle.

"Oh, I do hope so!" Lenla said with pride.

Vidurram, ignoring the two Fairies' little interaction, answered his wife's pressing question.

"I believe your father has found out something."

"Really, what?"

"He wouldn't tell me. However, he did tell me that he wishes to meet up with you in the West Forest tomorrow at dawn."

Vidorea nodded with a confused scowl etched on her brow. She then turned to smile at her daughter, who was listening in with great interest.

"Eat up, Beanni," Vidorea said, pointing to her daughter's full, wooden plate.

The gentle, orange glow of dawn beamed through the countless gaps in the trees of the West Forest. The shadows they threw formed delicate patterns like lace upon Vidorea's porcelain skin. The dozy blooms at her bare feet stretched their leaves and petals to banish their slumber. The violet Sìthicris took in a deep breath letting the fragrances of her favourite place relax her; she had no idea what her father had planned and couldn't help but feel nervous.

She took a few more steps towards the clearing where the Strelle fo Bhlàth grew, and stopped when she saw her father helping a brand new tree grow.

"I'm here, Father," Vidorea called to him. He looked around, loose strands of his long, cotton-white hair waved in the morning breeze.

"Daughter! You made it!" He got to his feet and dusted his hands, letting their silver glow dim before beckoning her over. "Come here, I have something to show you!"

Vidorea walked over to him, who turned towards the tree he had just made with his silver light magic. Within the cracks of its rough bark lay a clear material that reflected the rays of the morning's light. That same material held the structure of each of its eight-pointed leaves, with a stretched span of see-through veins. Each leaf resembled the sky at night with specks of silver decorating a flat navy-blue surface. The beauty of her father's creation filled Vidorea's chest with a sense of calm.

"Father," she sighed. "This tree is a thing of beauty, what possessed you to create such a wonderful new breed?"

"Illuminare-Trabem inspired me with a vision," Chief Dìonad answered, whilst stroking a night-sky leaf gently between his thumb and index finger.

"A vision?" Vidorea said, she stepped back from the tree and gave her father a disappointed glare. He met her stare with an intense look. The silver glow, his daughter grew up to know, were dulled to a grey from his elongated exposure to the smoke in the mauve tent. Such a sight squeazed at Vidorea's heart. "Father, you said you would not partake in gazing anymore, I thought you understood Vidurram and my position upon the eternal smoke."

"I do, Vidorea, but so many have been coming to me with their worries about their mixed offspring and indeed the Terran's future."

"You don't need to look into the smoke for answers, Father."

"No, I know, but Vidorea, Illuminare-Trabem does speak to us through it and I have an answer to our current troubles." The elder Sìthicris turned towards the tree and started to trace the lines within its bark with his fingertips.

"You do?"

"Illuminare-Trabem showed me that Natanstrellean children will wield magic, but in a new way. A way that uses nature." The chief's words awoke a memory within his daughter, she had heard an idea similar to this before, from Illuminare-Trabem himself, years ago. She then quietly watched her father light up his hands with his silver magic. His hand then entered the tree's solid trunk as if it was a pool of water.

"What are you doing?" Vidorea asked with a new sense of calm.

"What Illuminare-Trabem instructed me to do," the chief answered. "Watch."

He took out his hand, which was curled into a fist, its silvery glow burned brighter, reflecting inside his daughter's violet eyes, then quickly faded. He then opened his fingers out slowly, like petals blooming to let in the light. Nestled comfortably in his palm was a small, clear orb.

"What is it?" she asked, barely able to lift her voice from a whisper.

"This will be how your children will have magic. By owning their own magic orb they shall be able to command nature the same way we Sìthicris do."

"It doesn't look magical," Vidorea scrutinised the clear yet dull sphere in her father's hand.

"No, it is not yet finished, it needs one more ingredient, that's why I asked you to meet me here. I need some pollen from your creation - the Strelle fo Bhlàth."

Vidorea, after contemplating for a brief second, nodded her head and approached the flowerbed that she was most proud of. She knelt down beside the closest flower and gently pressed its centre. A cloud of glittering pollen leapt into the air and circled her hand. She watched it dance around her wrist and rest inside her palm, then slowly got to her feet. She brought the shining pollen to her father, made her hands glow with her violet magic and sent the pollen into its new home.

Once Vidorea saw the magical pollen grace the orb, she no longer had any qualms about the new tool; it definitely seemed to be the answer to Natanstrelle's troubles. She suddenly had a new understanding of what Illuminare-Trabem said to her years ago when he blessed her and Vidurram's union. This magical orb was how they would bring about a new era of magic - it will be wielded with the help of the nature the Sìthicris had grown with their power.