Cypress - Gen 9 Ch 10

I just wanted to apologize for the length of time between updates. I started this legacy shortly after I lost my job, and I've been out of work ever since. I just recently started a new job! I'm happy and excited about this, but it means I don't have as much time to work on my legacy, so updates are not as frequent. Thanks for reading!

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It was 3 am, and Oakheart had awakened me once again, as he had every night since we had arrived back in Riverview.

Cypress - Gen 9 Ch 9

The days passed quickly for Star and I. Bluebell soon grew into a beautiful teenager. We assigned her the task of finding homes for our four sweet kittens, and she placed them with our many relatives scattered throughout Riverview.

Cypress - Gen 9 Ch 8

Our coming home party/reception turned out pretty much as I expected. I told my mom not to make it fancy, and if she could limit the guests to relatives only, Star and I would both appreciate it. I thought we'd have a little time for ourselves once we arrived home, but that's not the way my mom operates. The whole family was waiting as we pulled up into the drive. We were immediately ushered out to the back patio to cheers and applause where the party was already in full swing.

I could hardly believe my baby sister had grown up so much in my absence. Bluebell was bubbling over with excitement about her new school, which she had started only a short while ago. I could stand there and listen to her all day, but soon I felt a tap on my shoulder. 

"Hey Bro! Did mom tell you? I'm out on my own - Uncle Song got me a job at the newspaper, and I have my own place now. You gotta stop by and visit sometime!"

I listened for a while as Juniper enthused about his new place, and marveled at how much things had changed while I was away. I glanced around, feeling even more out of place than usual.

There was Peony, who was really my aunt but felt more like my sister, and her husband Khalid. Their daughter Chelsey was around somewhere, I guess - most likely off playing with Bluebell. 

Star seemed more at ease than I did, chatting it up with my mom...

....and my Aunt Lotus. My cousin Winter was all grown up too - the last time I saw her she was just a little kid. 

I wandered over to where my Uncle Song was standing off by himself. He, at least, had not changed at all. I wanted to thank him for his timely advice, which at lead me to Hidden Springs, and to Star, but to my surprise, he spoke first.

"I want you to be the first to know," he said with a grin that practically split his face in two. "I'm getting married, and it's all because of you. You inspired me, you know - defying all logic and going off on your wild goose chase - and coming home with not only a wonderful wife, but with another key to our family's past."

We chatted for a while longer, me about my travels, and he about the new love of his life, as the party wound down around us. Eventually he said goodbye, and Star slipped up behind me and whispered in my ear.

"I'm getting sleepy, where's our bedroom?"

I led her down the steps to my basement hideaway, and we were immediately greeted with the raucous sounds of an intense pillow battle. So that's where Bluebell and Chelsey had disappeared to.

"Oof!"

"Gotcha!"

"Okay you two!" I laughed. "This is my room again. Scoot!"

After the girls cleared out, I turned to Star. 

"So, what do you think?"

She was silent for a moment.

"Umm.."

One look at her face, and I could see that something was wrong.

"You don't like it, do you? We can redecorate, anyway you like."

She perked up a little at that, but doubt still filled her eyes.

"But Cy, there's no windows..."

I mentally slapped my forehead. She was right, as usual. It was just a tad gloomy down here.

I didn't much care where I slept. So, after a short conversation with mom, I had a new plan. 

"What do you think of this bedroom, love? It used to belong to my grandparents. My grandmother's plants are still here, even. It's ours if you like it." 

I waited expectantly for her reaction. I was not disappointed. She loved it! 

A short while later, we were settled in. I pulled my Star close.

"Are you still sleepy?" I whispered with a slight grin. 

She grinned back.

"Not that sleepy. Shall we start working on that big family we talked about?"

After our initial adjustment, the days passed quickly by. Magic turned out to be a champion snake hunter. I never knew we had so many snakes in our yard!

Pixie surprised Star one day by dropping a poor little bird at her feet. Fortunately it appeared to be fine, except for a few broken feathers.

We bought a cage for the tiny thing, until its feathers could regrow and he could safely be returned to the wild.

A few of Magic's snakes ended up in terrariums as well. In fact, the whole art room soon was filled with a variety of little animals.

Bluebell quickly became Star's best buddy, and I always knew where to find the two of them - cuddling, or cleaning, or feeding one of a myriad of tiny creatures. 

There was one promise I had made to my Star, that I hadn't kept - not yet anyway. But this morning, I was ready. I'd done my research, and finally found what I was looking for. 

"I have something to show you," I smiled as I took her soft hands in mine. "It's only a short drive, come on!"

I could hardly contain my excitement.

"What do you think? Do you like her? Her name's Azalea."

I held my breath as she gently extended a hand for Azalea to sniff.  Azalea nickered softly, and Star's face broke out in a huge smile.

"I think she likes me!"

"Of course she likes you. How could she possibly not? You're irresistible."

As Star maneuvered Azalea around the scattered hay bales in the field, I noticed a golden brown pup.  He'd been at the stables, too. He must have followed us here.

"Hey buddy, are you lost?"

I reached down to pet him, and he seemed to bask in the attention. He was a little on the thin side, and his coat was matted and dirty.

"You are lost, aren't you. You wanna come home with me?"

And that is how Azalea and Lucky came to join our little family. 

We bought Lucky a big fancy dog house.

But he much preferred sleepy on the living room sofa, and I didn't have the heart to kick him off.

The fancy dog house didn't go to waste, though. Magic and Pixie found it fascinating.

They spent endless hours in there, doing who knows what.

Until one day, I heard Star shriek with excitement. I came running as fast as I could.

There, in our bathroom, Pixie had just given birth to four tiny kittens! Star was thrilled, and papa Magic looked on with quite pride.

But later, after the excitement wore off,and the new kitties were bedded down for the night, I found Star sobbing softly to herself on the bed.

"Star, love. What's wrong, sweetheart?"

Sniffle. "I'm sorry, Cy."

"There's nothing to be sorry about, love. Tell my what's wrong?"

"It..it's just.. seeing Pixie's babies.. it reminded me...we've been trying for a long time now, and I'm still not pregnant... what if... what if .. ." 

Tears started dripping out of her eyes once more, and I pulled her close in comfort.

"Aww, sweetheart. Sometimes it just takes longer than others, I think. I don't think we need to start worrying just yet. We just need to relax and keep trying."

She smiled a little then.

"You're probably right. We could try right now, how about that?"

I smiled in return.

"Your wish is my command, my love."

Cypress - Gen 9 Ch 7

After that transcendent moment at the hidden spring, Star and I spent every moment together that we possibly could. She showed me all her favorite places, but I have to admit, I missed most of the scenic panoramas due to not wanted to take my eyes off her precious face for even a moment.

Every morning Magic and I would head over to the well-kept little log cabin where she lived with her granny and a multitude of small children who were somehow related to Granny in ways I never quite understood. Usually Star's black and white cat Pixie would meet us at the front steps and escort us to the door.

Sometimes we'd stay to keep Granny company while the little ones were at school, and  Magic and Pixie took the opportunity to become reacquainted.

While they played, I'd ply Granny with questions about the pendants, and the spring. She confirmed what Star had hinted at back when I first met her, that the spring had kept her alive long past her natural life span, in order to preserve the pendant's succession.  She claimed it was not unusual for the pendant holder to wait hundreds of years for a successor to appear.

Eventually though, I'd take Star's hand, and we'd say goodbye to Granny and head off to whatever fascinating new place Star wanted to show me that day.

One day she showed me the high meadow where the wild horses run.

"Shh. This is close enough. We can watch from here. Aren't they beautiful?" She sighed. "I'd love to have one someday. There's no room at my house though."

I nodded in agreement. I didn't say anything, but I promised myself that I would make sure that someday soon I'd make her wish come true.

That day we ended up, as usual, at our favorite spot. It still amazed both of us, that this small piece of real estate was invisible to the rest of the world. We often used it as our own private sanctuary, a place to talk, and sometimes kiss, away from prying eyes.

But today was special, and my nerves were almost getting the best of me. I drew in a deep breath to calm myself, but I couldn't stop my fluttering heart. Star instantly sensed my nervousness. She drew a soft finger across my cheek.

"Cy? Is something wrong?" She asked with concern.

Gazing into her beautiful emerald eyes, I gained courage I didn't know I possessed.

Gently, I took her hand in mine, and slowly sunk down to one knee. Yup, I was going to do this the old fashioned way.

"My shining Star, I love you from the bottom of my heart. I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

I didn't realize I was holding my breath until she enthusiastically cried, "Yes! Oh yes!"

And all my nervousness melted away as I tenderly placed the ring on her slender finger.

I pulled her close, and we held each other for a long time, just enjoying the moment. Finally, reluctantly, as the sun was setting, we broke apart. I took her hand once more, and we slowly walked the short distance back to her cabin, to break our good news to Granny and the kids.

It was impossible to please both my parents, and Star's Granny. Mom's team was in the middle of playoffs, and Granny had never been on an airplane in her life, and didn't intend to start now. So we settled on the actual ceremony on the shore of the lake in Hidden Springs, with a few of Star's relatives and friends in attendance. There would be a reception in Riverview when we arrived home. Star as always, knew just what to say to calm me down before the fateful hour. as the first guests began to arrive.

"Stop worrying, hon. I'll be right next to you the whole time. And you know almost everyone who's coming, right?"

But in the end, the sight of Pixie sound asleep on one of the folding chairs made me laugh out loud, and suddenly I was relaxed, and ready to go.

Our vows were short and sweet, and I smiled with joy as I slid the shiny gold band onto her finger.

Then she did the same, and it was official. My heart was soaring.

As the sun set behind the mountains, we kissed for the first time as husband and wife.

Granny's kids were the designated rice throwers...

and Magic found a seat next to his buddy - to keep an eye on things, is my guess.

Granny watched over the proceedings with a hugs grin on her face.

I even made a small speech - a first for me.

And then of course came the cake cutting.

Afterward we sat together on the soft grass, and as we gazed up at the full moon, I told her the story of Chang'e, that my grandfather had told me when I was a child.

"And that is why the harvest moon shines so bright, because of the love between Chang'e and her husband."

"Oh, I see her! Look, Cy - there she is!"

Back in my cabin, I was all nerves, and she was suddenly shy.

But in the end, we figured it out, and for the first time, I tenderly made love to my shining Star.

The next morning Granny was at our door bright and early to say goodbye.

"You take good care of  our Star, now. And promise me you'll came back soon for a visit!"

"I'll miss you, dear heart. You take good care of Cy, now, won't you?"

"I will Granny. And we'll be back before you know it!"

Then she gave her Granny one last hug, and we were on our way home. I had arrived alone, with only my pendant to guide me, and now I was returning home with my shining Star, and Magic and Pixie as well. I couldn't wait.