A little of Orrin's Story - Earth's Star

Those sent after Orrin make a grave mistake and take his wife, Telatha instead.  She is presented to Ystriel and he casts her aside in his anger.  He is told her husband - the true star point was killed when they attacked the farm.  Telatha ends up in slavery with no recollection of who she is or who she was.

When he finds her again she is in the company of a magical talking sword - another story in itself - and both are in trouble.  Orrin joins them, not telling her he knows who she is but offering to help them escape those that are hunting her down.  He suggests they pose as a married couple to maintain cover and hire on as guards to a caravan traveling over the pass. Telatha - after having gone through the years of slavery has no desire to pose as such and does not hesitate to inform him how she detests the idea.  He is patient with her, as patient as he always was with everyone.  The night before the caravan leaves she comes upon some information that changes her way of thinking in regards to the idea of posing as a married couple.

Thus we come to the excerpt I've chosen for you to read:

“You know,” she said quickly keeping him right beside her, “if we are to be married…in appearance, you know,” she cast a glance upward and caught him swallow hard at her words.  His face showed no emotion but his eyes told her everything, told her of a pain he feared and she might understand a little of that pained fear.

“Yes,” he agreed with a nod.  He searched her gaze, waiting for her to speak more of her thoughts.  She almost didn’t go on such was the intensity of his gaze and her loss within it.

She touched a hand to his chest.  “We’re going to have to make this look convincing,” she found words again.  They were probably not the most sweetest of words but they were words to tell him she consented to his idea, this way of protecting him.  She recalled the creature’s words regarding Orrin and his living.  She may not be the only one in danger.  She knew they wanted her alive.  What if they were sent to kill Orrin as well as capture her and Narn?  All three of them were in a great deal of danger.

“Yes,” he said and took her hand in his own, “we are.”  With his other arm he drew her closer to him.  She thought he’d kiss her and she knew the press of those lips against her own was certainly tempting enough.  “It will be difficult,” he mused and she felt the tingle of his lips just barely touching her own. 

“It might,” she agreed and lifted her gaze to try and hold his own, determined to see this through to protect all of them.

“I promise,” he said, “I’ll do my very best to make it convincing,” she felt his lips curl into a smile.

“And I’ll do the same,” she tried to sound strong but in truth she felt like mush in his arms.

“Will you?” He asked and closer still, without touching, he brought his lips.

“I will,” she said in barely a whisper.

“How far will you go?” He asked and now his lips touched hers.  “To prove…” he tasted first her top lip with his kiss and then his bottom lip, “…or convince?”

She didn’t know it but the next tremble that rippled through her was mistaken by him for fear.  He drew in a cool breath and leaned back to give her some space.  “We’ll start by sleeping together,” he said in a cooler tone and led her to the bed .  “Just sleep,” he assured her with a nod of his head.  “They’ll expect us to sleep close and they’ll expect an occasional stolen kiss despite our vow that business came before pleasure.”  He took another kiss just before gently setting her down on the bed.  He knelt then and slid his hand down one calf to remove her boot.  “We’ll be expected to know certain traits about each other.”  Her breath caught in her chest as his strong hands ever so gently removed her boot then moved over to the other leg.

“For example,” he continued, “you’ll be expected to know that I like my meat well done and…” he slid the other boot off her foot and placed a hand upon each of her knees.  His eyes moved up the length of her body removing any chill she might have still felt with his warm gaze.  “You’ll know I’m very fond of onions in my stew.”  He moved, didn’t really rise or stand but simply moved, to sit beside her.

“However,” he went on while he removed his own boots, “when we’re home…or when we were home,” he  said to explain why they were not the happy little home bodies many married couples should have been, “before times got tough and we returned to looking for work I liked your sweet bread the best of all your cooking.  But even as good as your sweet bread was, your gooseberry pies were to die for.”  He finished with his boots then turned to her, looped his arm around her waist and urged her to lay down beside him, both of them on their sides.  He drew her tightly against his chest.  “You’ll know that green is my favorite color because it brings out the fire in your eyes.  You’ll know…”

She waited for him to continue and when he did not she started to turn.  His hold tightened but remained gentle.  “You’ll know,” he went on and she could have sword she heard his voice crack, “you’ll know nothing can pull my heart from yours.”

She felt something inside her swell.  She thought she might be dying such was the aching force in her chest.  It was like she should know something.  No, it was more like her heart knew something she did not and it was mad with her brain for not remembering.  The ache left with a rush of a gasp leaving her lips. 

Orrin’s lips touched her ear once more.  “It will be all right, Tel.  I promise you.”

The Five Points Introduced

Each of the five hosts selected by the star through Ystriel's spell casting bore a portion of the star's power.  Superstition held that each star lived and breathed its own life, casting its light as evidence of the life it lived.  The brighter the star the stronger the life within.  When a star fell to the earth it was not merely an act of accident but more one of fate, of destiny.    A light did not fall without a purpose. 

Like most purposes, it was not one that granted initial explanation.  The five chosen had no way of knowing why they were chosen or even that they were chosen.  Their lives could not be easy - though no life worth living is a simple one.  Heroes are those that are tempered and tried.  Like the blades they wield they must be put through the fire and beat to shape, then polished and sharpened in order to finally have their worth tested and proven true.

These five - even had the star not chosen them - are tested time and time again, tempered by life's transgressions, and still face the greatest test - the one that will determine the fate of the world as much as their own.  More than just a life of normalcy and the desired life of peace without resistance is at stake.

The five points

Ailen and Brenna - The Dark Stars

The Shadow and The Raven.  Ailen is the son of a baker.  Brenna is the daughter of a queen.  Ailen and Brenna are the first that Ystriel searches when he initially plans to bring the power of the star onto himself.  Both children were taken from their parents by the wizard at the age of 5.  When the two children touch their worlds as well as the wizard's are changed.  Ystriel is crippled and scarred in the explosion caused by the touch.  He is not the only one.  Ailen, too, is scarred from top to toe.  Though, he has the fortune of falling under Cuinn - one of the greatest healers in all the land - and Martha - also a talented healer.  Cuinn and Martha live in what's known as the Fox's Den, a magically hidden village filled with society's less than acceptibles.  Brenna also falls into the care of those who dwell in the Fox's Den and becomes squire to the Fox himself - Cathal.  Brenna and Ailen, as fates played their part, do not run into each other - despite that they are both under the same cloak of the Den.  Fate brings them face to face in their late teens when they both fall into the service of Jirair - a mercenary General who leads the largest free minded army in the nation.  It is there the two discover their strengths together as well as the weaknesses that come from their touch.  Ailen - the Shadow - can part from his shadow, becoming two swords instead of one.  Brenna's body is adorned with jewels, she swears she was born with.  Through the jewels she can form a shield to protect her and a handful of others.  She only wishes she learned of that trick sooner.

Ardor - The Star of the Ocean

Ardor's father is admiral of the Nine Fleets.  His entire adult life has been dedicated to keeping the waters safe.  He and his fleet secured the waters, bringing to justice more pirates than any other fleet in history.  His successes, however, lead also to his being targeted by those pirates he has destroyed.   It is the pirates his men blame for his death the night his mansion is destroyed.  Little did he know the target was Ardor, and it was not in the killing but in the taking.  The attempt to capture the girl fell astray and both her mother and father are killed.  Captain James Blackgut, his first mate Sydney, and the crew of the Conspiracy become the guardians of Ardor.  To protect her they keep her at sea, teaching her the ways of the ocean.  Her name is changed to Caite - though in private she will always be their Ardor - to protect her from those that slayed her parents.  Their profession, they also changed, shifting the flags to that of the pirate - though honest and God fearing pirates is how they play their cards.  If they could keep Caite at sea her entire life they would have, but as every man one of them knew - a girl has to grow up into the woman she's meant to be.  Even on land, though, her internal compass always points her in the right direction. She's never gets lost - though that doesn't mean she doesn't get into plenty of trouble along the way.

Orrin - Earth's Star

Orrin is the only one of the five to keep his parents longer than his childhood.  In fact, Orrin's father divides up the farm and grants Orrin half of it the day he marries his childhood sweetheart, Telatha.  It's not until then, his life is turned upside down.  Tel's beauty always inspired awe from the men.  Orrin, himself, never spent a day without counting his fortune she'd accepted his proposal over all the others.  When this host is sought out, a miscommunication among the dark wizard's slaves has Telatha taken instead of Orrin, and the farm destroyed in the process.  Orrin's family is slain and only by a stroke of luck is he spared.  When the mistake is realized she is sold to one of her former suitors - a dark prince - and her memory removed to keep the anonymity of the mistake.  Orrin leaves his ruined farm and family's graves in search of his lost love only to discover her memories of him gone when he finds her.  He discovers, too, when he finds her Tel's list of enemies grew by the dozens.  Beside her he stands, fighting along side her rather than protecting her, until he can at long last prove he is the man she's been dreaming of - literally dreaming of.  Along his journey he learns his skill with the blade matched his skill with the plow.  Just as he was as a farmer he is the same as a hired sword - that is to say, he's one step ahead of the storm.  

Aislin - Sword's Star

Aislin and her brother, Samuel, are thrown from their house when lies come between her parents.  In a fit of anger her father gives them to a band of traveling gypsies.  Aislin never speaks and Samuel rarely remains silent.   Everyone that comes into contact with Aislin doesn't live long.  This was even prophesied by the gypsy fortune teller, Nala.  The gypsies are slayed in a midnight raid, saving Aislin and Samuel but at the cost of their lives.  They are discovered by a traveling friar who takes them to his temple for food, water, and a place of sanctuary from the dark he feels around Aislin.  In another midnight raid, the sanctuary is destroyed and all within it are slain.  After fleeing from the scene, Samuel and Aislin come into a town and run into a handful of knights.  In a daring move, Samuel chops his sister's hair and together they fall into the service of Feich - High Knight of Branwen.  The two children serve as squires and later serve as Knights becoming one of the Seven.  It is after they are knighted, Aislin's femininity is discovered but her knighthood is not revoked.  Instead her courage and skill with a blade is rewarded - and the skill is far surpassing that of her peers.  She's blessed with seeing her adversary's move before he makes it and is thus countering it even as he's making the move.  Rewards are not without consequence, however, and thus once again all that she loves is destroyed.

While each of the star's points grow and develop in their powers, the one that brought the star to them also grows.  His bitterness blooms as quickly as does his skill with the dark arts and his manipulation skills over others.  He plots and plans and sticks the thorns to these hosts, driving them ultimately to the place he knows will be the best place to harvest their powers for his whole world dominating scheme.  As he grows in power so does his army of darkness, driving and devouring the hosts when he can not.  He discovers early in his plot that watching others do his dirty work is much more gratifying than doing it himself.  In other words he learns the value of free labor and the pleasure of watching his slaves writhe in pain when he is finished with them. 

ShortyBellesSite: Foolish Boy Warlock

ShortyBellesSite: Foolish Boy Warlock: "And now we have life return,"  an aged voice called to him through the darkness.  "Welcome back to us Ystriek." ...

Foolish Boy Warlock

"And now we have life return,"  an aged voice called to him through the darkness.  "Welcome back to us Ystriek."

He opened his eyes and looked through the sheer of the gauze bandages covering his face.  He brought his hand up to tear them away only to feel the excruciating pain in the action.  He froze with his trembling hand inches from his face and stared.  

Three fingers!!!

He only  had three fingers!!!

"You are alive," the ancient one said.  "That's more than any who attempted to take on a star's powers can say.  You are the first to live this long.  Are you the first to have learned from your mistake?"

"What..." his voice was raspy and barely a whisper.  

"You attempted to control the power of a star," the ancient spoke.  "You played with powers not yet in your grasp of reality or responsibility yet to play with.  It is a wonder how you and all the children survived the first stage of your plan."

"The children?!?!"  He gasped and sat straight up, slumping back when his head reeled from the attempt. 

He dropped his scarred hand over his head.  "Are they alive?"

The ancient frowned at him.  "You are connected to them.  You should know if they are or are not."

Ystriek closed his eyes.  "They are not dead," he said finally.  "I just can not find them."

"Then they are also fortunate and stronger than even you might have thought possible.  They will likely be far more intelligent too."  

"I will find them," Ystriek hissed.  "I will find them again.  All of them."

"And you will proceed with caution," the ancient warned.  "This will take some time.  And foolish boy, time is all you have."

Forgetting the children and focusing back to himself he lifted his hand before his face again.  Three fingers!  

"How bad is the rest of me?" he asked.

Silence answered him.  "How bad, Old Man?"  He demanded.

"Let's just say that until you can master the power of the star you so desperately yearn for, you will never again be a lady killer."  

The ancient one helped Ystriek to a sitting position and then held out a looking glass so that he might see the extent of the damage.

His cry of terror echoed through the dark castle of the ancients and into the dark maze of canyons that led to and from the palace.

"Foolish boy," the ancient chided and removed the mirror from his sight.  "Did you really think you could do this alone?"

When Two Points of a Star Touch

In hindsight he might have done things very differently.  In his defense, he could hardly have known the extent of the power he dealt with.

However, it might be assumed that the five years he spent coming to know the children and their families were his finest.  He grew in his skills of illusion in those five years and improved upon his manipulating.  He even learned to curb his temper - to a point.  It took a great deal of effort on his part but getting into the minds of the children as well as their parents gave him a greater understanding of those he would one day enslave - that is to say the general population of the world.

He boldly made himself known in the royal courts of  Rainescove where he easily convinced Brenna's family he a mere magician able to pull rabbits out of hats, and roses and toys out of a child's hair.   He scheduled his visits to entertain at the family's many celebrations.  Each celebration drew him closer to Brenna and she closer to him.

He discovered the knight's wife a lonely vain woman left to spend many a night alone with naught but the dark to keep her company.   He played the part of the wooing beau to perfection - holding her attention with his words of praise for her beauty while insulting the lackluster husband of hers who would rather defend his country than stay by her side admiring her.  With a little spell or two here and there by Aislinn's fifth birthday he'd convinced her mother to sell the child to him.  All he had to do was show up and take her away.  It was a good thing too because Aislinn was so shy she'd hide from him,  Without her mother's help he'd never be able to find her.

Ailen's mother died in child birth so it was the father who needed persuading.  It was not too hard as the fool had fallen deeply in love with his wife - foolish man!  Could he not see the delicate pastries surrounding him in the shape of beautiful women just waiting for his kneading hands to mold them to his will?  This love thing was a waste really.  It did serve his purpose, however.  A few visits, some observations, some careful words whispered at just the right time and he hardly needed any magic at all to convince the baker the best thing for his son was to send him away to someone who could raise him the way a healthy boy should be raised.

Ardor might have been born at sea but her father was not entirely convinced it was the best place to raise a child.   He'd a mansion by the sea in a small port city.  It was there he left his wife and child protected from the evil he feared.  If only he knew how much easier it was for the warlock, he might have thought differently.    The child was fearless and constantly sneaking out onto the streets surrounding the mansion.  A simple beggar man was quickly turned into a hero when he returned the child to their home.  This simple beggar was invited in, eventually given a position, and served as a butler receiving the family's full devotion.  Putty in his hand.

Orrin might well have been the easiest of the five.  He need not even come up with a plan to draw the lad away from his parents.  So often were farm children left to their own vices while their parents slaved away in the hot sun.  The boy was free to do as he would, exploring the wild with only a sheep dog to protect him.  He didn't even bother with a disguise for Orrin.  he wouldn't need one when the time came to carry him home.

Five years past and it was time to collect the children.  Brenna first.  He was the entertainment for her birthday party and for his final act he made the little princess disappear.  He disappeared too.  They reappeared in the town of the baker, here to collect Ailen.   He locked Brenna in a storage room and told her this was part of the game while he went to retrieve Ailen.

Ailen's father packed him a small bag and teary eyed though he was sent him with the warlock to 'better his life'.  Two down - three to go.

As he led Ailen to the storage room in the center of the village, the warlock began to feel strange.  He looked down at Ailen and knew the boy felt it too.  It was the feeling of impending disaster.  And the instant he opened the door to the storage room and Ailen's eyes met those of Brenna he realized he should have thought this through.

Two points of a star should never be made to touch, such a refraction of light can cause unlimited possibilities and one of such is destruction. 

The village had no warning.  The children had no warning.  He had the warning but he had not the knowledge to know that this was what he was being warned about.

When it was over, not one board remained of the village.  Not one brick remained of the homes.  Naught but charred grass.

Raw!

Their power was still raw and as such uncontainable.  

ShortyBellesSite: Five Points - One Star

ShortyBellesSite: Five Points - One Star: They are unaware - living their lives the only way they know how.  They have secrets - maybe not more than most but bigger secrets than some...

Five Points - One Star

They are unaware - living their lives the only way they know how.  They have secrets - maybe not more than most but bigger secrets than some.  The biggest secret, however, is the one kept from them.

That is a secret kept by only one - a secret most dangerous in its power.

It was a spell by his own design, a spell that got out of hand, a spell that if cast by a more experienced wizard might have succeeded.  It was genius though, pure genius and pure power that he created from a fallen star.  It was a spell designed to cast only once.  When the star collided with the earth he had not the time to gain experience.  He had to act fast or he'd lose his chance forever.  Power was within his grasp, the world was at his feet - and he hadn't even cast the spell yet.

There was a draw back to the spell.  One person - no matter how powerful - could not contain such raw power.  He was not foolish enough in his youth to think he could.  That power had to be shared.  There was no one - and he needed more than one - he could trust in his ranks so he sought elsewhere.

Then it came to him!  Children!  yes...that was perfect.  Children were impressionable and could be molded to his desire.

Five!  The points on a star.  Five children to contain the power of the star and work for him.  The world would surrender!  Another setback!  He had not the time to find five children!

His resolution! He entwined the containment spell to a finding spell, allowing the power of the star to select its hosts.  He planned for the spell to bring them to him.

He underestimated the power of the star!

He overestimated his power of the arts!


Three days and nights he worked, threading each spell with another, never taking his eyes off his work lest one word, one misplaced vowel in the speaking cause perfection to fall short.  On the fourth day, the spell was complete and cast.

Yet...

He felt nothing and no children arrived.  Not even one.

He cast a finder spell and discovered what the star had done.  True to the spell, the star found five hosts.  Five hosts still in the womb!  

A sea captain's wife.

The wife of a knight.

A queen.

The wife of a baker.

The wife of a farmer.

And not one of them lived within the same country as the other.  His eyes narrowed and his face turned a hot red.  All that work only to have more work left to do.  He now had to steal five newborns from their families.  He now had to be nurse maid to five brats until they were old enough to fend for themselves.

He paced his study for half the next night before coming to the conclusion that he would not do that.  He'd grant the parents five years of their children.  That was not so long a wait.  In that time he could discover the power of the star within him, learn the powers the children would have, and then he could take them and begin their training.

He knew when each of them was born - could feel the excruciating pain that was labor and felt it five times.  He knew their names as though they were his own.  Ardor - born at sea, Aislinn - born of the sword and shield, Brenna - born to the throne, Ailen - born of the bread and cake, and Orrin - born to the land and labor. 

Five years later, it was time to collect his army.