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Stars

by Dana

Who am I? Gabrielle thought, shivering as she hugged her knees.
Mother won't tell me……
Father's too sick to say anything…
Penelope doesn't know anything at all.
And now I can't go home without receiving some kind of punishment……

She looked up at the bright stars, forming the many pictures in the sky. There was the constellation Vadia, Illusen, with the end of her bow pointing north. And next to her was the uni, simply known as the Great. Gabrielle traced the constellations with her hand, whispering to herself the familiar childhood poem.

“Follow Vadia's bow, swift and strong.
To the Great's glittering horn.
And you shall never go wrong,
During your search of Bhoria's Thorn.”

The poem was just jibberish, nothing but a chant that children would learn as they were growing up. Gabrielle had no idea who or what “Bhoria's Thorn” was, but it didn't matter. How can I be thinking of childish songs at a time like this? She asked herself.

“Excuse me, miss. Are you alright?” a kind voice asked.

Gabrielle looked up, startled. She saw a young Lupe with curly auburn hair and kind blue eyes gazing at her from around the fountain. He was wearing tan trousers and a white shirt with an olive green cloak overtop. She quickly wiped away her tears and told him, “Yes. I'm fine thank you.”

“Oh… Well, you looked a bit…” he seemed to be searching for the right word, “flustered.”

Gabrielle smiled faintly. “I'm fine now. It was nothing.” She shivered in the harsh wind.

“Here, you look cold.” He took off his cloak and wrapped it around her. The clock was warm and soft, of good quality wool, but not itchy.

“Thank you!”

He scratched his head. “I was just wondering what a girl like yourself is doing out here at this time of night……”

“Just taking a walk. I was thinking about a lot of things.”

“I see.” Silence took over for a bit while both sat by the fountain. Suddenly, he burst out, “I'm Phillip.”
“People call me Gabrielle.”

“Gabrielle? As in daughter of the tavern-owners?”

“Yes. Those are my father and mother,” she replied while thinking, Well at least the people I call father and mother……

“Oh.” He looked around sheepishly.

  “How did you know?”

“Well, my family just moved here, and we have opened up our own, er……building.”

Gabi stared at him. “So you're the family who owns the other tavern!”

“That's us.”

“How has business been for you?” Gabrielle asked politely, not meaning to sound competitive.

“Fairly good! My mother's pomegranate bread is quite popular since she is known for it, and Father's spooky shake has received many compliments. How about for you??”

“Oh……um…… it's been alright.”

He seemed a bit embarrassed, and then added, “I'm suppose to be looking for my older brother.”

“Any luck?”

“No. He goes about often, coming home late and worrying Mother.” He sighed, and then turned his head in the direction of voices. Squinting, he whispered to Gabi, “Oh no…… there he is now.” A young Lupe was seen shouting down the streets with a group of friends.

“Why! There's my brother over there right now! PHILLIP! Hey Phillip!” the young man bellowed, coming over and slapping his younger brother hard on the back. The older brother looked similar to the younger in stature (both being tall and well-built), but with blonde hair with more waves than curls.

“Hello Luke,” Phillip greeted exasperatedly.

“Whoa… you've certainly outdone yourself this time little brother,” Luke yelled for everyone to hear while staring at Gabrielle. “She's a real beauty! Where'd you find her?” His friends snickered behind him, but completely agreed as they stared at the maiden.

Phillip turned about five shades of red before answering, “I didn't find her! We just met here near the fountain!”

“Well, whatever happened, nice choice!” Luke then turned to Gabrielle, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously. “If he gives you any trouble miss, I'll always be available.” He winked at the astonished girl. “I am Luke, at your beautiful service.” He bowed low.

Gabrielle smiled and curtsied. “I'm called Gabrielle.”

“Ahh! Gabrielle! The name of angels and beautiful Lupe's! It's a pleasure to meet you!” Then turning back to the furious Phillip, he asked, “Now Phil, I heard you were looking for me!”

“For the past three hours! Where have you been????”

“Enjoying myself like any sensible person at my age does! Lady Pherosonine was great fun. While my boys were distracting her, I was able to teach her talkative blorpulous some delightful phrases in Elfin such as ‘Kur mund ules ommek nix vorje' or ‘Yos ol gasdl kun.' It was quite amusing.” The friends began laughing at the phrases.

“You speak Elfin?” asked Gabrielle, intrigued.

“Korh il naqu,” he answered with a boyish grin. “Enough for me,” he translated after seeing Gabrielle's puzzled face.

Phillip asked, “What do those phrases in Elfin mean?”

The friends began chuckling again hysterically and Luke looked both pleased and thoughtful. One friend called out, “You don't know?” Phillip and Gabrielle both shook their heads. “The first phrase means ‘My mistress smells like rancid kau kau farm milk,' and the second,” he was doubling up in laughter, “is not appropriate to be uttered around a young maiden.” Luke laughed so hard until tears began running down his face.

Phillip was attempting to keep a straight face, but was not succeeding. A combination of smile and frown formed on his face, but he decided to change the subject. “Mother wants you to help her with cleaning the cellar.”

“Pshaw. Tell her I send my love but I'm too busy at the moment. Wait, y'know what's a great idea though? I'll just entrust my work duties with you!”

A friend of Luke's called, “Luke! ‘Urry up! We're gonna leave!”

“I'm coming!” he answered. “Okay Phillip. I'll be back soon! G'night and sweet dreams Lady Gabrielle,” he told Gabrielle charmingly while kissing her hand.

“But Luke! Father wants you to come—”

“G'bye!” Luke had run off with his friends leaving a speechless Gabrielle and an enraged younger brother.
When he was out of sight, Gabrielle burst out laughing, something she didn't think she would be doing on such a day, but she couldn't help it. Her clear and bright laughter resounded in the night air, and Phillip's scowl managed to slightly subside. “I'm sorry,” she explained, “but your brother is so……” She searched for a word.

“Rude? Uncouth? Vulgar?” He rolled his eyes. “Or perhaps all of the above?”

She laughed again. “Hilarious.”

“He's always like that. Father calls him the Jester of All Living Things because he can get along with anyone and anything. Probably even Lord Darigan if he was up to the challenge.”

“How old is he?”

“Nineteen last time I checked. Two years older than me.”

Her lovely smile flashed. “I like him,” she declared decidedly.

“Everyone does. You can't be mad at him for more then two minutes,” Phillip sighed, as if referring to past experience. “Well, now that I've found him, I had better go tell Father and Mother. Shouldn't you be heading home? It's getting pretty dark.”

Gabrielle's mind snapped back to reality and her horrible experience at home. She didn't want to tell Phillip anything though. “Don't worry about me. I'll be going home,” she replied quickly.

“Okay then. I hope to see you soon. Farewell! Or as the elves say (in the only Elfin I know), ‘Vib ol pess waddo!' ”

“Farewell!”

Phillip turned and ran in the direction of his tavern. Gabrielle sank back down around the fountain, knowing the truth that she wasn't going back home unless she wanted a thrashing or some type of brutal punishment.

She couldn't stop thinking about the two brothers, though. They were so different, yet both extremely likable (especially Luke). Phillip's serious and caring personality contrasted Luke's

charm and charisma completely. Meeting the two brothers had taken her mind off of the dreadful morning, but now she was alone. I can't stop running from the truth, she thought. If Mother won't tell me, I'll have to find out myself, anyway possible.

She looked up and again found herself gazing at Vadia and the Great. Vadia's bow pointed to an unnamed constellation. It seemed like a cluster of seven powerful and bright stars. One of the stars was on the edge of the cluster, next to a dimming star. Suddenly, a tiny twinkling of a new star appeared by the pair just as the dimming star completely ceased.  

 Her weary head rested gently on the side of the fountain, and she shivered in the cold, pulling the olive cloak tighter around her. It smelled of freshly baked pomegranate bread and several pleasant spices. She shut her hazel eyes, and immediately fell asleep, dreaming of her unknown past, the two brothers, and a family she could call her own.

In the middle of the night, a pair of strong arms picked the sleeping girl up gently, and carried her away from the fountain and the cruel wind. She was placed on a sweet-smelling bed of absolute softness next to a warm crackling fireplace. And all through this, Gabrielle slept soundly, not even stirring once.

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Content was created by members of The Neopian Orphanage.
Site design (c) 2005 wtrswoopes. Site graphics (c) 2005 vegetarewlz.