In a nation whose name was lost to the stars, a sister lead her little brother away from a burning village. "Don't let the boy escape!" Soldiers cried. "He must not fall into enemy hands!"

"Why are they after us?" The boy demanded.

"Because you can wish for victory," the sister replied. "You can wish for anything, and they want to use that. I promise to never let anyone use your power. OK?..."

"Vel?"

Vel snapped awake in a cold sweat. Another nightmare of the past. He began to get dresses, watched his face, and looked into his own eyes in the mirror.

She was so tired. Tired of her life. Weary of her so called "blessing". Weary of carrying that burden she had carried her whole life. It would be OK. Three more days and it would end. No more Wishcraft.

His eyes glowed that calming shade. Blue. He groaned. "Uggggghhhhh. Really? Stars. Jince doesn't know when to quit." He left the castle in a hurry, stopping briefly to kiss Nincy on the cheek and greet him good morning before leaving. He had to warn them about the vision he had.

Odile fared no better than Vel, awakening once more in that void. A figure not unlike Aster or Siffrin stood before her. Once more appearing as if drenched in ink, almost all shade but black drained with only white accents to form the mouth and face. She knew its name immediately. Enfant Étoile.

Enfant Étoile sneered and lunged with their dagger. Odile took a deep breath. In and out. She knew what to do this time. Despite being wounded from the last time she was here she did not flinch. The dagger stopped an inch from her eye.

"No," she declared. "I know what's going on here. This isn't what my family wants. This isn't what I want, and I will let false self blame hurt me and my family no longer."

Enfant Étoile merely smiled and lowered their dagger. "Then you don't need to keep trying to tell yourself that. You can wake up now."

Odile awoke suddenly, yet oddly at peace. A sense of warmth washed over her as she began to forgive herself and internalize that she had a family. She was loved. She would get through this. They would. Together.

Bonnie was bouncing off the walls of the lobby as everyone awaited Odile to wake up.

"Come on, there's gonna be so many new foods!" Bonnie exclaimed.

Aster laughed and rustled their hair. "We gotta wait for Odile. She'll be up any minute."

Odile finally entered the lobby, greeting her family and starting into town. Conversation was light and jovial at first, and the festival had begun in town square. There were carnival games, street foods, and so on. Bonnie ran off as soon as the scents hit their nose, eager to explore and learn about the culinary arts of the land. Aster ran after them, Isabeau not far behind as he too was curious of the sweets and treats of the land. This left Mirabelle and Odile a chance to finally talk. To talk about their argument. About everything that had happened.

There was a tension in the air. Mirabelle considered leaving it for later, but no. She knew sooner was better. She was concerned about Odile. This had been hard on everyone but it had clearly hit a nerve with Odile. If she could forgive Siffrin for what he said that day, she could forgive Odile too.

"Are you doing OK?" Mirabelle inquired. "It's been... a lot."

Odile nodded, "Yeah but... I'll be OK. What about you? Confronting Zick can't have been... easy. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when that happened."

Mirabelle exclaimed, "No no! That's fine! Looking back, I had to do it myself anyways. I... actually met the Change God."

"What?" Odile inquired, baffled. Meeting a god? Was that good? Was she OK? It was probably good. She didn't seem worse off in the aftermath. "That's... good? I think? What did it say?"

"Just that zealots suck and not to give up basically," Mirabelle shrugged. "It... was comforting. To know that zealots are sinners. This sense of like knowing the whole faith isn't kaput because of them. Maybe that's cruel? It feels cruel." Mirabelle had her usual insecurity as she asked that.

Odile chuckled and shook her head, "It's not cruel to save lives by stopping Zick. You did great."

"Yeah I haven't talked a ton to the others yet about that but it's not urgent," Mirabelle added. "What about you though? Are you sure you're OK? I've been worried about you."

Odile nodded. She evaded eye contact in shame and guilt. Guilt for how she lashed out. "I'm fine. I've been... treating you poorly recently. All of you. Lashing out in pain and I'm sorry for that."

"I don't think any of us were handling this well," Mirabelle admitted. "But... we're getting through this. The festival is in three days. All of this is almost over."

"Speaking of everything," Odile recalled. She knew that Aster was one of them now, at least to her. However. that didn't guarantee how the rest of her family felt about them. That was their choice, but she wanted to support both Aster and the rest of her family best she could. "Have you spoken to Aster yet?"

"Not yet," Mirabelle admitted. "I don't mind Aster being one of us. Aster's cool. I can call them a sibling it's just... a bit to take in."

Odile nodded. It was a lot to take in. Even Aster being being their own person, their connection to Siffrin, and their similarities, two separate people. Like twin siblings. It could be a lot to take in. Odile placed a reassuring hand on Mirabelle's shoulder. "I know it is. But we got each other."

Mirabelle smiled softly and nodded. Wordlessly, she opened her arms for a hug. No obligation to accept, but Odile accepted all the same. That warm embrace, that expression of familial love, brought comfort and peace. Sometimes, regardless of which form of love it's expressing, a hug is worth more than any word.

Meanwhile, Bonnie scarfed down a deep fried treat from one of the stands set up for the festivities. A pastry covered in powdered sugar they were unfamiliar with called funnel cake. Aster picked off a piece for themself, savoring the sweet flavor as they made small talk to the other two. They turned to see Mirabelle and Odile approaching. They smiled and waved at the duo and began to approach them.

Odile pat Mirabelle on the back and added, "Now seems like a good a time as any to talk to them."

Mirabelle nodded in agreement. Odile walked ahead to go join the others, tempted by the sweet smell of the funnel cake as Aster greeted Mirabelle. "How you doing Mirabelle?"

"Oh hey Aster I wanted to talk to you actually," Mirabelle explained. "About... everything."

Aster nodding in understanding, "Of course."

"So you're not Siffrin," Mirabelle clarified.

"No, I was a version of them once but... I'm me. And I'm Aster." Aster nodded.

Mirabelle nodded in understanding. She tried to find a way to articulate how she felt about the person before her. About the friend before her. They had... "...changed."

"What's that?" Aster inquired.

"You've changed into someone new," Mirabelle continued.

"I think I was always Aster," Aster clarified. "My soul was always that name. Just had to realize it."

"Like a butterfly?" Mirabelle inquired.

"Yeah..." Aster smiled softly. "A bit."

Mirabelle smiled gently and continued. "Well you've become a truly beautiful butterfly Aster. One I would love to call family."

"I would like that a lot, sis." Aster smiled back, unable to hide their joy, their smile seemed a mile wide. However the joy was broken by Vel, who grabbed Aster's shoulder suddenly from behind.

Aster spun around to face him, "Vel what are you-"

"Jince is coming," Vel replied. She pointed into the crowd where Jince could be seen approaching the others.

Aster rolled up their sleeves. "That blinding-"

"No no," Vel assured. "I'll handle this. Just... I feel we need to talk before the festival Aster. Ah, and Mirabelle?" Vel turned to face Mirabelle and smiled. "Thank you for handling Zick. He remains in holding for trial. Ka Bue owes you a great debt."

Mirabelle smiled and replied, "Thank you, but we kinda all know what we want here. It'll be repaid soon anyways." The intent was to reassure Vel they didn't want anything but the wish they had come for. That this debt was nothing to concern herself with. However, Vel looked away uneasily. She had no intention of granting the wish this family desired.

"Come alone," Vel evaded replying to Mirabelle and addressed Aster. "The night before the festival." Vel left to confront Jince.

"He seemed a little tense," Mirabelle pointed out.

Aster deflected with grace and ease. A skill they knew well. "She's hosting a big festival. I would be too."

"Should we be worried about Jince?" Mirabelle inquired.

"He's just a bully, I'm not scared of him," Aster assured. "Besides I was telling Isabeau about him last night. We learned something."

"What's that?" Mirabelle inquired.

"He actually has a major weakness Isabeau pointed out..." Aster explained.

The family went to enjoy the rest of their day as Vel approached Jince. They glared at each other.

"Degenerate," Jince greeted.

"Bigot," Vel retorted.

"Care to explain this?" Jince demanded showing a letter he had receive. A letter of challenge from Isabeau.

"I wouldn't know anything about that," Vel lied. Her vision had shown her everything she needed to know about it. "But it reads here the challenge is tomorrow. Aren't you aware striking now would be illegal?"

"Aster being alive is illegal," Jince snarled. "Hell, you being alive is illegal."

Vel waggled his finger mockingly. "Ah ah ah! I wouldn't go down that road Jince. Unless you wanna make an enemy of both Parliament and Nincy. Just wait for tomorrow. All will be settled then."

"You're blinding right it will," Jince growled storming off.

Isabeau began to explain to the rest of his family as Aster and Mirabelle returned. "Yeah I... do have to tell you guys something."

Bonnie tried to ask about it but all that came out from their mouth stuffed full with culinary opportunity was, "Wush up?"

"I sent Jince a challenge for tomorrow," Isabeau explained.

"How are you gonna beat Jince?" Odile inquired.

Aster stepped in. "I told Isabeau about my confrontation with him. He realized something..."

"Jince has a major weakness," Isabeau assured. "In fact, any of you could beat him without throwing so much as a punch..."

After Isabeau had explained his plan to the others, things settled, and the family enjoyed the rest of the day as just that. A family. Playing carnival games and Bonnie rambling on and on about the things they would cook when they got back home. The new recipes they were learning. Things they could cook for Siffrin when he got back.

As the day came to an end, Odile stood under the stars on her balcony. Thinking about all she had been through. About how in three short days Siffrin would be returned and this nightmare would end. About the joy and agony of the trio in equal measure. Reuniting with her partner. Spending time with her family. The matter of Zick and Jince. All of it was a lot to process.

Then there was Aster. Where the two of them stood. They were family. Yes. They were without question. However, of what sort?

Aster entered, "Hey. Can we talk?"

Odile nodded, "Yeah I wanted to speak to you actually."

"Yeah I..." Aster was uneasy as they tried to collect themself. "I know why Siffrin called you that when he..."

Odile nodded, "Yeah but... that's not... what you are to me. You're someone I care about and want to protect but..."

"Then what am I to you?" Aster inquired.

Odile looked up at the stars deep in thought. She wasn't a mom. She didn't see Aster or Siffrin as her children. She didn't even see Bonnie as her kid. However, a part of her desired to be something adjacent to a parent. Not talking that self blame but that love and guiding role, that protectiveness and desire to nurture those younger than herself.

Something like...

An aunt.

"You're more like... a Nibling. The gender neutral term for nephew or niece." Odile explained. "I'll always watch over and love you as family but..."

"You got it auntie!" Aster replied with a mischievous grin.

Odile rustled their hair playfully. "Don't push your luck.

The two chuckled and watched the stars for a moment until Aster inquired, "Should we be worried about Jince?"

Odile smiled, "Nah. I mean you said it yourself. He was out of breath. Isabeau will be fine..."