She Who Treads Amongst the Stars

Chapter 1: The Celestial Duo

A very, very long time ago, Rosalina was simply a young girl of seven.

In some ways, she wasn't all that different. Her hair tumbled past her shoulders in a similar fashion, though she had a dainty midpart instead of long swept bands. Instead of platinum blonde, her locks were an orange-gold hue that glinted red in the sunlight. She typically wore a small and plain white linen dress that fell just above her knees. The thin straps, barely matching the width of her fingernails, draped her shoulders comfortably.

She was a cute child, from what she could remember. Quiet at times, but full of kindness and curiosity. She lived with her younger brother, mother, and father in a quaint little terrace on the grassy hill in the countryside. She loved her family very much and had many happy memories of their day-to-day life To Rosalina, her family made her world perfect.

Even so, she could not be completely intent: within her stirred the urge to get out and explore her world. She loved the tranquility of her backyard at times, but her adventurous spirit always craved the discovery of new and exciting things. Rarely did her mother allow Rosalina to accompany her father to the nearest village, as the foot journey totaled two hours one way. So, Rosalina had to make do with descending the hillside and exploring the land nearby.

Sometimes, she went into the little patch of conifers standing at the foot of the hill and played at the small pond there. Other times, she traveled to a nearby field and stared at the big fluffy masses that would race through the sky. She particularly enjoyed naming these ever-changing clouds, making up stories about their exploits with her favorite stuffed animal by her side. Made by her father, the white bunny touted beady black eyes and bright yellow star-shaped ears. She absolutely adored the fellow, and Rosalina took it with her wherever she went.

Like any young child, Rosalina would often run and jump about, powered by her boundless energy and imagination. But there were also times when Rosalina remained content to laze about. She especially enjoyed watching the endless braids of creek water that flowed over the rocks on their way to the pond or examining the beautiful patterns painted upon the delicate wings of a visiting butterfly. Undoubtedly, she treasured these quiet moments, and all the other little delights her world had to offer.

But what she loved most was stargazing with her father. Many a clear night he brought out the big red gingham picnic blanket and lay it down on the hillcrest. Countless stars adorned the sky, with the Milky Way shining like a luminous stream. They would lay down together with his arm around her, and he would point out certain constellations to her. He shared their ancient stories and lore with vibrant enthusiasm. A planet or two occasionally graced them with their presence, and, if they were lucky, they would even catch sight of a shooting star. Sometimes, he brought out his handheld telescope and allowed her to peer closely at certain extraterrestrial objects. These displays of celestial beauty always fascinated Rosalina, to the point where she dreamed she could walk among the stars and have galaxies pooling at her feet.

A particularly powerful memory of hers centered around the centennial meteor shower. As always, her father spread out the blanket and set up the telescope stand. Rosalina started to help him, but she became awestruck by the periodic streams of shooting stars up above. She couldn't help but watch the cosmic bodies as they glittered down to Earth.

"You're a very lucky girl, Rosalee," her father remarked as he adjusted the crude wooden mount. "This particular show happens only once a century. You'll never see this sight again, so drink it in. And rumor has it that Star Bits come raining down with the closest-approaching meteors."

"Star Bits, Daddy?"

"Yes ma'am. They're said to be the candy of the cosmos. Rather interesting objects that fall only around this time, according to the legends." With a grunt, he tinkered the last adjustment to his satisfaction and sat down, putting an arm around his girl. "You see, Star Bits are small, colorful space rocks about the size of your fist. They take the shape of an icosahedron."