100 TC #17 - Stars

Here is number 17 of the 100 Themes Writing Challenge, based this time on the theme "Stars". Thanks for reading ;)

***

- STARS -

A Princess From The Stars

A heavenly creature. 

That is what I thought to myself every time I laid my eyes upon her. She was like a creature from another world. It is true she never did quite fit in. There always was something... strange about her. Something ethereal. It is as if she came from the heavens. A princess from the stars. That's how I always liked to think of her. 

She had the name to match the image indeed: Celestia. My beautiful Celestia. There was nothing earthly about her, it was all... cosmic, would I dare say. I always thought of her as a beautiful princess from outer space, until the day I learned, that is what she actually was. Of course, I doubt anyone will believe me when they read this, even I woud not believe myself, for it is totally unbelievable; yet these are facts as they were. 

I shall start by the unusual way of the meeting of her and me and how it happened, all these years ago. I was a young lad back then, breathing youth and full of vim; oh woefully so far from my current state, alas. The poor girl was lying still on the side of the road, on a cold winter night when I found her, walking on my way back home. I immediately went towars her to see if she was alright and she seemed so; for she woke up when I got closer. Only, she did not seem to remember anything. She did not know who she was, where she was or what she was doing here, so I took upon me to bring her home until we could figure out more.

Turns out what started as a temporary measure took a permanent turn. Celestia is the name she gave herself because she liked the sound of it, but she in fact did not know what her true name was. So that is how we called her for the time she stayed with me. A time which lasted many years during which we never actually figured out not a single clue about her missing memories. The complete absence of leads made it even stranger; thinking backwards it is almost impossible that someone would forget everything and not a clue would make itself appearant in so many years. Yet, now I know the truth, but back then I did not even think it weird. I got used to Celestia's presence and she to mine and it is as if none of us cared about that mysterious and missing past.

I went on with my life, and Celestia stayed with me. I tried to make her happy but it always seemed like something was missing. I would often find her crying in the middle of the night, but she would tell me she was alright when I questioned her. I did not know what else to do but to keep her company and try to give her the best life I could with the means I had. So it went on like this.

Until one day. I was coming back home after a long day, looking forward to reunite with my Celestia, but she was nowhere to be found. All that was left was a letter, revealing the truth. She said she remembered who she was : a princess from a faraway kingdom in another world, millions of lightyears away in the stars. She was banished to Earth by her father the king, but it was now permitted for her to go back. She said not to be afraid of what I would find, for to go back to her realm she needed to let go of her human form. I remember what I felt when I read the letter... Fear. In its purest essence. I dropped the letter on the floor and went to the bedroom and here she was, beautiful as ever. She seemed peaceful, a smile on her face, her eyes shut, lying amidst the white sheets of the bed now painted with lines of crimson that had been flowing from her wrists. She was free now.

A heavenly creature, that is how I always thought of her and that is what she was in the end. And here, as I am imprisoned within these four white walls with nothing else to do but reminisce about the past, I shall tell her story so that everyone will know that she is not dead, yet safe back home, ruling over her kingdom in the stars. 

***

(c) Copyright 2015  Hope Alexander aka David Giroux for the text