Bright has been staying at Granny's castle. He had went back home today to check to see if Mommy Seraphine was back. She wasn't. It had been a long exhausting trip. Bright left a letter for Mommy Seraphine to explain were he was. Tas had been there. He had come to visit but Tas wanted to play rough and Bright couldn't manage so much. He tried to shine with while Tas was visiting. Bright tired and went back to bed. Tas was on business anyway and didn't really have time to say hello. Bright went back to Granny's to wait.

Bright sat in the window holding a candy cane. Mommy Seraphine's going to miss Christmas if she doesn't come home soon, thought Bright. He brushed a layer of ash off his skin and looked. The glow was almost hidden by ash but it was revealed when he brushed away the top layer. That's not right he thought a little worriedly.

Bright fell asleep in the window seat before the stars were yet out. He wanted to shine there, through the night to guide his most precious angel home.

Bright had a horrible nightmare. He heard over and over again Mommy Seraphine saying mildly that stars don't go to heaven they turn to stardust when the die. Bright woke with a start. It was night still.

"What a mixed up horrible dream." Bright spoke aloud to try and chase the ghosts away. "Nothing good is ever lost," Bright told the night.

Bright lit a candle and put it in the window. He tried to brush off the ash to reveal his glow underneath but every layer he brushed away a new layer formed the ash filled the air Bright coughed and coughed. It seemed there was even ash inside of him.

This will not do at all.

Bright went down to the forge. It was the hotest fire he knew about. It would help for a little while.

He left a note for the smith.


Dear Smith,

Please don't poke the star in your fire with any sword you may be forging or anything like that.

Thank you, with all kindness

Bright.

~The ArchAngel looked at the note in her hand from the Smith and she rose and went to the blacksmith's and there she saw Bright sleeping in the forge. He was positively grey.

She gently lifted him into her arms, wrapping him up in her warm cloak, helping to retain the heat of the forge and she carried him back to his room in the palace.

Very quickly, she had piles of warm blankets and quilts piled high on the bed and she turned, gesturing the fire to intense white heat and she sat there on the foot of the bed, leaning against the footboard post, watching him as he slept.

Bright sleeps soundly for some time, the magically enhanced raw heat works away at the ash and slowly something of his normal glow returns. He sleeps so deeply the practiced illusion of breathing is lost but afterall, it is unnatural for a star to breath. Stars belong in the vacuum of space. It would probably be better for him if he stopped that human taught habit completely; at least while he was sick for then the ash wouldn't get inside him quite so much.

One of Bright's favorite tricks involves convincing a friend to have a contest to see who could hold their breath longest, then holding his breath and turning his glow silly shades of blue, purple and green while making funny faces. Bright still losses about half of the contests for he ends up giggling. Giggling was another human thing the small star had learned.

As he draws closer to waking, he again begins to breath and cough, twice he calls for Mommy Seraphine.

Bright opens his eyes at last. He is confused for he'd gone to sleep in the forge at least he thought he had. He looks up perplexed.

"Granny Jaeden, what are you doing umm..here? I'm not in trouble from the smith am I?"
He stops to cough, even his cough sounds clearer.
"Mommy Seraphine will come home today for certain. I'm going to go meet her. If you went on a long trip to..., who knows where, you would want to be welcomed home wouldn't you? Well actually I don't know for sure that she'll be back today but she might be."
Bright pauses still a little disoriented

"Thank you for letting me stay at your house."

Bright hugs Granny Jaeden then,...

The minute Granny Jaeden turns her back.

Gone.

He left his teddy frog behind though so he's probably coming back eventually.