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Nova was floating in their room, beautiful starry patterns decorating the ceiling. They were sitting in midair, staring at the green orb in front of them with intrigue. Inside of it was Yara, the Forest princess. She was angrily banging on the walls of the orb, wanting to be let out, to turn this place upside down. Foolish little toy. Nova quirked their head, smiling. With a wave of their hand, the orb was flung back, Yara falling inside the orb. With an angry expression, she got on her hands and knees. Nova tilted their head back and laughed loudly, their giddy laugh sounding around the room.
Then someone knocked on their door. Nova looked up with wide eyes of surprise, floating over to land on their feet and open it. In front of them stood the Witch of Fate and Weavings, Atrophea.
‘Hii!!’, they grinned. ‘What brings you here, Atro?’
Atrophea’s lips formed a small smile. ‘I have another toy for you. The one you wanted. Now be careful with him. I think he has seen the light after our recent interaction, but don’t let him get any ideas.’
The Witch of Weavings stepped aside, revealing a man restrained by golden threads, a red coat, a crown on his head. He had no power here at all. But Atrophea had given him his old clothes back, knowing that Nova would like their toys intact and complete.
William lifted his chin to look at the person before him. The Witch of Stars and Night. He remembered their onslaught of falling stars.
He felt so weary, tired like never before after these last few harrowing days, his eyes devoid of light.
Nova’s grin grew wide with excitement, seeing the puppet before them, bright blue eyes focusing.
‘You might have to share him with Disturbia for a bit, it might be better to keep him in a daze at times. For him, and for us.’ William’s expression grew darker at that.
Nova pouted. ‘That’s no funnn, Atro!’
‘Come now, Nova, you know how much Disturbia loves her dolls. Dresses them up all neatly. You can understand that, surely.’
‘Okayyy, but not for too long!’, they smiled.
With that, it was settled. Atrophea departed, their golden threads releasing William. The doors to Nova’s rooms closed behind him. He stood a little more upright, looking around him. The room had a starry feel that was calming to the eyes. But it could not soothe him, for this was still his prison cell, his cage.
His gaze was drawn by a large green orb. His eyes grew wide, his body startled. That was his youngest daughter. That was Yara. That was-
He reached out to her. Yara’s eyes shone with tears, seeing him as well. She put a hand on the inner wall of the sphere. William attempted to draw closer.
Then in a flash, the orb was gone in a burst of sparkles.
‘Oop, let’s leave that for another time,’ the witch’s voice sounded.
His hand dropped to his side as he stood there, left there. He breathed shakily, stifling a sob as he closed his eyes.
Nova took hold of their cape, wearing black and purple clothes underneath.
William still had his eyes closed, almost not wanting to open them again. Then he suddenly forced his eyes open again as he felt something wrap tightly around him. He was wrapped in the starry cloak of the witch of Stars and Night, restraining him. He looked them in the eye, his expression guarded.
Nova floated before him, studying him closely. ‘Well what do we have here?’, they said with an intrigued expression. ‘You look funky, I’ll give you that.’
William remained silent, his eyes devoid of light.
Nova’s cape was soft, but it was wrapped around him too tight.
He missed his wife, his Helgi and his children so much that it tore away at his very being.
‘You and I are gonna have sooo much fun,’ they spoke again, stars flickering on the ceiling.
Again there was no answer. William appeared to not even really be looking at them.
Nova frowned slightly, not understanding. ‘Hey mr, that won’t do. You’re all sad. That’s no fun. What for?’
William’s eyes stung. He could not hope for sympathy from the night witch. Though Atrophea had shown him just the smallest sliver of comfort, while having tortured him so just before, and leaving him to fall apart again right after. This wretched, agony filled place…
He looked at them with a pitiful expression, not understanding how they could possibly ask that.
‘How come?’ they asked again.
William started speaking, finally, no will left inside him to play games. He had no strength or dignity to defend, now. It did not matter anymore.
‘I… I miss my family. I miss Helgi. I have no idea where he is. I miss Juno, so much. I fear for her state. I really miss my daughters, my children. I fear for them, I dread what may happen to them.’
Nova just floated there, a bit frozen. Their toy finally grew a tongue. But they didn’t expect all… this to come out.
‘I just want to see them…’ He lowered his head, tears flowing down his face as his breath shook a little, still shaken from the harrowing visions he lived.
Nova looked aside, uncomfortable, then impatient. Their feet touched the floor as they went to walk a circle, throwing up their hands, exasperated and disappointed by the behavior their toy was exhibiting. ‘Do you like Jupiter? Planets?’, they said, a projection of the gas giant appearing above their palm. ‘I’ll command the celestial bodies to put on a show for you. You really have to stop being so down in the dumps, though. This is no fun, you know. What constellation were you born under?’
William did not answer, another tear flowing down his face.
‘Ugh,’ they huffed. ‘I’ll have to ask the stars themselves then. They remember. I could even animate the northern lights from your homeland.’
Nova did not wait long for an answer. This puppet wasn’t very talkative, sheesh.
The dancing lights filled the room, William sitting against the wall in the darkened room, looking at the lights with weary eyes. Tears no longer flowed down his face. Nova’s cape was less tight around his limbs, now.
—---
Nova wore their familiar cape again. William sat on the floor, momentarily unrestrained. He stirred, attempting to move, then fell backwards as he was trapped inside one of Nova’s orbs, a red one this time. He gritted his teeth. Fickle witch.
Nova floated near him, curiously. ‘What things do you like, puppet? If I drop you from 5 meters, will you die?’
William tensed, a hint of fear reflected in his eyes.
‘...Yara…she was here… do you have her? Where did you take her?’
‘The other puppet? Stored her in my other room,’ Nova shrugged.
‘...Can you bring her here?’
Nova made a somersault in the air. ‘I dunno… I was wanting to study you closely by yourself’
William frowned in thought. He needed to get them to bring Yara here somehow. His youngest daughter shouldn’t have to face this all alone.
He looked back up at them. ‘You asked me what I like. You want to know what makes me tick. What I like, is my family. The people I care about. My wife. Helgi. My daughters. That includes Yara.’
His words hung in the air. Now he had to hope that the witch would react accordingly.
Nova looked at him with their head tilted to one side. For a tense moment, they were silent.
‘You puppets sure are weird. Are all of you so sticky and… sentimental? Anyway, your words intrigue me, little puppet. I think it will be very fun to study you together,’ they said, their face twisting into an unsettling grin.
William held his breath. Then, after what felt like the longest seconds, Yara’s green sphere appeared with her inside. The orbs popped. Yara’s face lit up with disbelief. William ran towards her, falling to his knees and taking his youngest daughter into his arms, holding her tight.
‘Dad…’ Yara’s voice sounded, hoarse, burying her face against his shoulder.
His youngest daughter. Not scarred by lightning, or massacred in some hopeless battle.
‘It’s alright. I’m here,’ he comforted her, his voice gentle. He breathed out, some of the weight falling off his shoulders.
He held her in front of him, hands on her shoulders. ‘Are you alright?’
Yara smiled weakly. ‘I’m okay. I mean I’m… scared, and worried for my forest. But I won’t be put down so easily,’ she said, some of the fire still in her eyes.
William couldn’t help but smile. His youngest daughter, brave as a tiger.
He quickly looked aside to Nova, floating in the air, his face grim. Never let your guard down for too long. Luckily the witch wasn’t up too much, just watching this unfold, scheming something.
‘We’ll crush ‘em, dad,’ Yara said, smiling at him.
He smiled back at her, tired, but so relieved.