In a dark room, sat a single white candle.
It flickered on a plate in the center of an oak table, revealing under it’s light the scratches and defects to the aged woodlines. However, it was unable to spread it’s candlelight beyond the wood table edges, the natural shadows still cling to the walls as it’s amber glow melted away a drizzle of white wax down it’s edge. Sitting at the table, was a small young girl in a oversized chemise. The light profile her white hair that framed her porceline cheeks and hinted the freckles scattered over them. Her eyes broke away from the candle and watched with curiosity a taller figure who was pacing slowly around in silence. Gaining no response, the girl’s vision returns to the candle as it seems to be the focus of this lesson. She can feel the light reflecting off her irises enchanting her. Even when the flame was loyal and dedicated to the wick, it shuttering slightly at the faintest breath.
Across the table also sat a boy, a year or more older with white cropped hair, stoic eyes and also within the soft candle light. He too was patiently looking to both the candle and their grandmother who circled them in thought.
The two can make out a regal woman in a pale colored silk that hung off her elbows. They can make out the twinkle of silver earings hidden in her hair and the sharpness of long ears within rich white hair matching their own. To the children, she appeared younger than their own mother, more pale then snow, but held a higher respect than any other adult in their family, for she was a legitimate white elf.
Even though Aleena and her brother Elijah were only half white elves themselves, it never swayed their grandmother to treat them any differently. Always quiet yet kind, pausing before speaking with educated mannerism and a hidden quiet smile that breaks her serious stoic appearance..
As such, Aleena felt no malice in this moment with her, nor from her father who sat idle in the back, but the tension was very clear, their grandmother had something to say to them. She wondered if her and Elijah were in trouble again as she fidgeted the edges of her sleeves.
The woman finally stopped between the two, looking first to the candle, and then each of their faces with deep regard. It made Aleena nervous.
“ Do you know why you are here?”
Aleena batted her lashes while Elijah briefly rubbed his nose against the sleeve before looking up.
“…”
The elven woman raised an eyebrow and creased her hands before her patiently.
“Tis alright, you can speak.”
Elijah looked at his sister and then back at her.
“Nein.”
Aleena gave a soft cough to her sleeve.
The white elf leaned in and finally broke with a smile,
“ You are here to learn something important. Something I feel you two are ready to learn. “ tilting her head and observing their reactions.
Elijah soften up slightly and Asha could sense relief from Aleena when she peeked up to meet her eyes again. Asha continued, pacing her words.
“Something taught from generation to generation of your bloodline. A core foundation of this world, a lesson to carry for the rest of your life. Do you think you two are ready for such a lesson?”
The elven woman looked at the children with a raised eyebrow and a hint of enthusiasm. Aleena sensing the importance of such a lesson, obediently she noded her head while fiddling with her sleeves. She peeked at her brother to see his response.
Elijah also nodded, curious but seemed a bit confused. “Ai?”
“Well then….” Satisfied the elven woman smiled and leaning away in a regal posture, “Let us begin…”
The two gave unbroken attention.
“Your lesson shall be about the Light.” Gesturing a sleeved hand to the candle, “Do you know what it is?”
The two looked to the candle and then at her confused.
“Ze candle?” Aleena asked, although she wondered if this was a lesson about candle making because she was terible at them.
“Hm, yes, but it is more than just the candle.”
“Le fireplace?” Elijah guessed.
“No.” Asha smiled and places a hand on her own chest, her eyes enclosed pressing it there.
“It is here, the source of the light, the very realms and all the matters of life manifested beyond the reaches of the Elders and across fibers beyond comprehension…”
There was a long silence, Aleena’s eyebrows fell in to a confused knit followed by Elijah’s.
She lost them.
Asha rose an eyebrow, “…you don’t see it?”
They both shook their heads.
“Well you must. I give it to you everyday ! Do you not remember?...” she tested them.
The siblings look at each other confused.
“..I has one?”
“I never gotzit one….?”
“Nein ze?....what does it look like?”
“Dun know?”
“Howz jou know you donzit has it?”
“I don’t know?” Aleena looked at Asha “Vhat does it look like?”
Asha held back the urge to chuckle and tries to remain serious, “You don’t see it,..you feel it.”
“Does it..burn?”
“No.”
Elijah leans in whispering to his sister . “I dun’z get burn everyday,…but it glows like a candle?”
"Izit magick?" they asked her. Again, Asha shook her head.
“But jou feel it? Ne? Vhat do you get everyday from grandmoma?” they looked at each other.
“…buttered toast?”
“Nein! Dat can not eat ze light…?”
Their faces faltered, she lost them again.
“Think. You can feel it, but can not consume them.” Asha clued them.
Elijah took a guess, “Feel from chest? But given? Is it..hugs?”
Asha smiled and leaned back crossing her arms.
“You are very close…”
Aleena bats her lashes “Itz it coughing?” Elijah exclaimed to his sister , “Coughing??”
Pouting she looked to her brother, “Vell, if she has candle inzides? Smoke?” pointing to chest. “Light inside make smoke and cough?”
“Noooo, you can’t givith coughin?” Elijah looked at his grandmother, “right?”
“Moma says joo can!” Aleena explained. “You can pass ze coughin!”
Their father hidden in the back, rubbed his eyes over with a sigh.
Asha shook a bit within her slender frame chuckling.
“No,..” she calms “ it is not related to fire….” She grinned and waves a hand over the candle for them to look at. “It is warm, inviting, and definitely not a cough…” stealing a gaze at Aleena with smile.
“It is however, something better…”
“Betters?”
“Yes. The most important thing in the ever existing realms”
“But its inside you?”
“Yes,..but inside you too.”
“Me?”
“Yes….”
“Iz it blood?”
“No.”
“Blood doesn’t glow…” Aleena whispered to her brother.
“Nein, but what does…?”
The siblings were frustrated, but before they could argue, Asha intervened. She raised both her hands, pressing one softly over Elijah’s chest, followed by one over to Aleena’s heart. The two hushed and gazed up at her in question.
Asha could feel their small heartbeats against her palm, “It is right here. Given to you and every living kind since birth. It sits within your hearts everyday and listens to you, speaks to you, and connects with others. It can be strengthen or weaken. It can pass from person to person no matter the distance, and it can be expressed in numerous ways, even for years. It can hold wisdom, peace and also courage even in the most dire moments. And if you believe in it? It can last for all eternity…it is this very essence that was made to create us all." Asha smiled, "The Light is the heart, to have Courage, to be Kind, Honest, Wise, Brave, Compassionate but above all? To spread Joy and Love. As it was spoken from the first Fae descendants genesis of the two, ....to Live is to Love.“