"That's how Natanstrelle got its name," Prince Oslac finished the story he found himself telling his new friend. A story that he had heard from his royal tutor over and over again throughout his childhood. He then added, "Natanstrelle translates from the ancient tongue to Floating Stars. That's what it looked like when a Fairy or Sìthicris died, they'd turn into golden orbs of light that looked like stars and would float up to the sky."

There was a pause between the two of them, as Beanni let his story sink in. All that could be heard was the subtle trickling of water that landed gracefully in a pool of water littered with many orange and golden brown leaves. They both were sitting, perched on the side of the fountain that decorated the middle of Central City's nature park.

"A fairy?" Beanni asked, her bafflement evident on her scrunched up brow.

"Yes, a Sìthicris - that's what they called themselves. If you go far enough back into our ancestry there were no beings like you and me. The land only inhabited two tribes - the Trolls and the Fairies."

Beanni drank in every word that he uttered with wide eyes.

"I had no idea," she uttered in an awe filled whisper.

"How old are you?"

"Thirteen, why?"

"That's probably why you don't know, they don't teach about Ancient Natanstrelle until the second year of public History School, when you're fourteen." Prince Oslac said with a nonchalant shrug.

"Oh..." Beanni looked downcast. "Well that's disappointing... It's all so fascinating! So much more interesting than learning about the Astridian era," she said, but then stopped and clasped her hands to her mouth. "Oh! I'm sorry, that's your family history! I-I meant no offence!"

The Prince threw his head back and let out a loud laugh, which rattled at Beanni's nerves. He then tried to compose himself but only erupted into more giggles when he looked at Beanni's bewildered face.

"N-no offence t-taken!" he managed to say through gusts of forced breath.

"Stop it, Oz," Beanni mumbled.

"I can't help it," the Prince said through a wide smile that he could not tame. "That was just so stupid!"

"I didn't know!" Beanni snapped in her defence.

"No, no, I know." Prince Oslac finally managed to calm himself.

"And I don't appreciate you calling me stupid!" Beanni added, whilst getting to her feet with a deliberate stamp of her heel.

"I wasn't calling you stupid," Prince Oslac tried to reassure her, but she looked no happier. He then got to his feet to stand beside her, but with a sharp movement she turned her back on him, with her arms crossed over her chest. "Oh come on, Bay. I didn't mean it like that. I just... I found it funny, that's all." Still Beanni refused to face him. Prince Oslac then let out a large sigh. "Maybe stupid was the wrong word, and I shouldn't have laughed. I'm sorry Bay. Forgive me?"

Beanni turned around, "Okay," she said, with a deep sigh, then shook her head. "It's a silly thing to fall out over really."

Prince Oslac gave her a gratuitous smile, but then his facial expression dropped.

"Do you think we should observe Beanna Cessori, just in case?" Prince Oslac suggested, with a serious look in his hazel eyes.

"If you think it's necessary," Beanni responded with a non-committal shrug.

"I'll activate it," Oslac announced, as he reached for his light orb pouch.

He grabbed his light orb and made it grow to fill his palm. The light he held between them reflected inside their eyes, and the family symbols that were carved into the fountain's marble structure lit up. The magic then began to flutter into the twilight sky. Like golden butterflies, eight different symbols flew around them, casting tiny rays of orange in all directions. Two of them then landed gracefully on Oslac's outstretched arm and on Beanni's shoulder. The magic sank into their skin and warmed their hearts.

Once the blessing was complete, Prince Oslac returned his orb to his pouch. He looked up at Beanni, as the fluttering symbols returned to their carvings and dimmed back to normal.

"It's been a long time since I've seen that," Beanni said, the warmth in her core causing her words to come out in a blissful whisper.

"It's a practice that is being forgotten," Oslac responded with sadness in his eyes. "All are supposed to carry out Beanna Cessori - the Ancestor's Blessing, whenever they have a quarrel, to help calm and bring people back together."

"Yes, but when people are angry, they don't want to stop," Beanni added in agreement. "Believe me I know, I am a Draoicis-Lus. My family have been at odds with the Biabus-Lus since before I can remember."

"For decades, Father told me. I'm afraid they're far beyond the help of Beanna Cessori. Only a miracle from Illuminare-Trabem himself can fix the feud now."

"I think you're right," Beanni said with a sigh.

"I know I am!" Prince Oslac said with a cheeky grin, seeking to lighten the mood. Beanni picked up on it and nudged him in the side with a playful smirk. Then a gasp left her as she caught a glimpse of the darkened sky.

"What's wrong?" asked the Prince.

"It's getting dark! I better get home!" Beanni rushed towards the nature park's gate, with Oslac hot on her trail.

"I'm so sorry Bay, you won't be in too much trouble will you?" he asked through panting breaths.

"I hope not!" Beanni answered, not allowing her legs to slow down.

"Hey, Bay, I would love us to meet again."

"Really?" Beanni halted in her tracks, temporarily distracted from her urgency.

"Yes! Please say you'll meet with me again! I-I could tell you more about Ancient Natanstrelle!"

"I would love that!" Beanni responded with a bright smile, which Oslac couldn't help but reflect back.

"Where? When can we meet?" Oslac asked.

"Meet me outside of the academy, after history school on Fìorday."

"You got it!" the Prince answered with enthusiasm, then put on his best royal front. "Now go home, Beanni Draoicis-Lus!"

"Yes, Your Highness!" Beanni gave him a clumsy curtsy then ran west, towards Iarest - her home village.

The wooden bungalow that Beanni and her family lived in seemed quieter than usual. There was no sound of laughter or chatter as she neared the front door that led directly into the kitchen. The cold hands of worry and dread squeezed at her insides as she took hold of the door handle. The hinges creaked out their objections, making Beanni cringe.

"Finally!" Dillan's voice crushed into Beanni's ears, making her jump. She watched him dart to the kitchen table and sit down, wincing as he made connection to the wooden chair. "Where have you been? You were supposed to walk straight home!"

"I'm sorry, Dillan," Beanni whispered, noticing the self-pitying expression on her brother's face. "Is Dad really angry?"

"What do you think?" Dillan snarled as he rubbed his tired legs. "He made me stand there until you got back!" he huffed, pointing at the place where he was standing when she walked in. "What took you so long?"

"I went for a walk, I didn't realise how long I was."

"Well, you better not keep Dad waiting any longer!" Dillan hissed, then nodded his head towards the closed living room door. He was still massaging his legs.

Beanni gave her brother a timid nod, then tip-toed towards the living room. When she stepped through the doorway she was met by her father's tight embrace.

"Oh thank Illuminare-Trabem! You are alright!" he breathed into her ear. Beanni could not relax into the hug though; she stood rigid, waiting for him to release her. As he did, her focus was drawn to her other brother, Aeron, who stared at her from his seat beside the roaring fire. He looked at her with a look that could kill.

"Lorrus..." the sound of her mother's voice interrupted the unexpected, calm moment. Beanni watched her get to her feet.

"Come on, Aeron, let's leave them be," she said quietly to her elder son.

"No, I'm alright," he said with a malicious smirk on his face, his eyes not leaving Beanni's worried gaze.

"Aeron-Lius!" his father warned, making Aeron stand up with a disappointed groan. He followed his mother out of the room, not failing to intimidate his sister with a cruel smile that silently communicated that she was in for it.

Lorrus waited until the door was closed, then dragged Beanni towards the sofa, so that he could sit down with her standing in front of him. He looked up towards her with an assertive look that never failed to send a shiver down her spine.

"Now, where were you?" he demanded.

"I-I..." she began with a stammer, but hesitated. She didn't think he would believe her if she told him the truth, but she didn't think of an alternative story. A sharp slap on her upper thigh shook her out of her reverie.

"I asked you a question, Beanni Draoicis-Lus!" her father barked.

"I-I went for a walk with a f-friend..."

"With who?"

Panic grabbed at Beanni's throat, she didn't know whose name to say. She didn't know what he'd do with the name that she gave. Would he try to communicate with their family? She may be caught in her lie, or worse, she may get that student in trouble too. Another slap stung her thigh, causing an involuntary tear to spring to her eye. She had to make a quick decision.

"Prince Oslac!" she blurted out, with her eyes squeezed shut. She waited for another slap, but nothing came. She opened her eyes one at a time and was met with a look of disappointment that crushed through her.

"Go to your room," Lorrus uttered in a low growl. "Now!"

Not wanting to risk another smack, Beanni rushed out of the living room. She bumped into Aeron-Lius, who was listening in at the door.

"You little liar!" he sneered. Beanni ignored him and looked at Dillan instead, who gave her a reassuring smile.

"Room, Beanni!" Lorrus shouted through the open living room door, making her shake into action and leave the kitchen. She made her way down the corridor, went straight into her room, closed the door and flung herself onto her bed, where she let out all the tears she was holding back.

"Beanni, come to the kitchen, please," she heard her father call her after crying in her room for an hour straight. She took her time to slide off her mattress and dragged her feet across the wooden floor.

As she entered the kitchen, she saw her father sitting next to Dillan at the table. Aeron-Lius and her mother were not present; this conversation was only going to include the three of them.

"Sit down, Beanni."

Beanni sat on a free wooden chair at the table, with her mouth sealed shut, waiting for the lecture that she knew was coming.

"Both of you. You cannot do this to me again. Do you hear me?" Lorrus spoke with an authority that could only be followed by synchronised nods from his two children. "Dillan, you promised me that you'd look out for her, and you left her on her own!"

"I'm sorry, Dad..." Dillan whispered but was silenced by a dismissive wave of his father's hand.

"And Beanni, what were you thinking? Going for a walk out there, with nobody to protect you, when Biabs could be lurking around any street."

"But, they were carrying out a harvest..." Beanni began to defend herself, but was interrupted by a loud crash as Lorrus' hand slapped the table in warning. Glancing at her brother, she saw him roll his eyes. Her gaze then fell as her cheeks burned with shame.

"When you didn't come home. When your brother arrived on his own. My heart stopped. I thought the worst, Beanni! Natanstrelle is not safe as long as those food croppers are about, and we're in the middle of a war don't forget!"

"But..." Beanni started, but felt a swift kick to her shin under the table. She took her brother's warning and changed tact. "I'm sorry, Dad."

"Alright. From now on, Dillan, you walk Beanni home from the academy. No exceptions!"

Oslac's face then flashed inside Beanni's mind as she remembered her plans for the next day she'd be at history school. She looked up with her eyes pulled wide, as she contemplated making another objection.

Such a look did not get past her father.

"No exceptions, Beanni!" he spelled out in an unquestionable tone.

The conversation around the kitchen table was over.