Work Text
“I’ve loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night” – Galileo Galilei
Star Butterfly spent the first few years of her life in a quiet corner of Mewni, on the outskirts of the kingdom. In a small clearing, shrouded by tall trees and rich green ivy, a cottage was built. It was quiet and quaint and home to Mewni’s only princess.A select group of maids and soldiers were stationed at the cottage where they would cater to the young princess’ every need. Each individual was hand-picked by the queen herself and trained to protect the young heir at all costs. Star relished in the happiness of youth and found joy in her home and the forest that surrounded it. She would often climb trees, splash about in rivers and befriend the animals that took residence in the surrounding woodland.In her early years, Star had no need for poise or elegance. She would be Queen of Mewni one day, but her coronation lay in the distant future and so didn’t bother her at all. She would much prefer to take up a broken branch and challenge the staff to duels, which she would inevitably win, of course. After all, the princess seemed to charm her way into the hearts of all those she encountered and her personal attendants were no different.Her mother, Queen Moon the Undaunted of Mewni, would visit her as often as time allowed. The Queen’s visits were kept very lowkey and irregular. Leaving Star constantly waiting by the window in anticipation and bouncing on the balls of her feet. Her mother loved her very much. That was something her caretakers had always told her. Star guessed that she loved her mother too, she was supposed to, after all. As she grew older it was apparent that her mother was more of a stranger than she had at first realised. Still, she did look forward to whenever her mother would visit. Queen Moon would bring her magic wand and perform little tricks and bursts of magic – nothing overly special, though it seemed to have Star enraptured. Watching her mother's magic was one of the few things that got Star to sit still. She would smile and laugh and beg to see it again and again and again.Happy to oblige, Queen Moon would spend hours trying to make up for the time they had spent apart by putting on a show for her only daughter.Following in her mother’s footsteps had only ever been something the princess was indifferent about, until the day her mother sat down beside her and held out her wand.A 7-year-old Star gasped upon seeing the wand up close. Her mother had not let her touch it in the past, apparently, it was ‘too dangerous' but this time the queen passed the wand into Star's tiny hands.Star’s eyes widened as she watched the wand change before her. The length of the wand began to shorten and narrow, the bright gold slowly faded to a pale pink. The aquamarine heart that served as the wand’s centrepiece also began to warp. The crystal expanded outwards to form an orb, also shifting from a lilac to pale pink. The gold on the head of the wand lost its form and slid down the side of the orb to create a large star in the centre of the wand. Finally, a pair of small wings sprouted from the base where the orb met the handle of the wand. The whole transformation happened from behind a burst of white light and was over in a matter of seconds. Queen Moon looked over and saw her daughter’s wand for the first time.“Well, I’ve never seen a wand quite like that before.”Star looked up, horror evident on her face. “Did I break it?”Her mother laughed and smiled fondly. “Of course not. One day, Star, this will be your wand.”The princess’ eyes lit up. “When? Can I have it now? Will I be able to make magic come out of it like you?”“Yes, Star. On your fourteenth birthday, you will inherit the Royal Magic Wand and when that day comes, you will officially begin training with it in preparation for becoming Queen should I – erm – go away, so to speak.”“Can I not start now?”“No but don’t worry, that day will come soon enough. Until then, I want you to make sure that you behave. That includes no more running off into the forest to avoid bedtime. You know how hard everyone around here works.”Star sighed, averting her gaze. “I know, Mom.”Queen Moon took her wand from Star. A pair of eager eyes following the wand as ownership transferred back to its original keeper, it’s form shifting as it was passed from one had to the other."Well, that's that then." Queen Moon stood up and reached for her cloak. She passed one end around her neck and fastened the brass clasp on the front. The butterfly family crest was pressed into the metal – the only piece of evidence that the person beneath the hood was royalty.“I will see you as soon as I can.” The Queen pressed a kiss to Star’s forehead and turned to head for the door, her navy cloak whipped up by the wind as soon as she stepped outside.“Mom, wait!”Star lunged for her mother, only managing to clasp a handful of dyed cotton in her little fist. Still, it was enough for the Queen to turn around and focus on her daughter."Why can't I come to stay in the castle with you and Dad?"Queen Moon looked nervously form her daughter to where her warnicorn was saddled and waiting at the edge of the clearing. She signed in resignation and knelt down to make eye contact with her daughter.“Listen, Star. You can’t come to the castle right now. It’s not safe.”“Don’t worry, Mom. I can take it! I’ve beaten everyone here at least once!” Star preened.“I’m sure you’re coming along wonderfully.” Queen Moon smiled affectionately. “But there’s a monster living in the castle.”Star’s eyes widened in fascination. “What kind of monster?”“The evil kind.” Queen Moon’s voice turned grave. “The kind of monster that would love to destroy magic everywhere.”Star’s hands flew to her mouth and she stared back at her mother. “But magic is wonderful! It’s so pretty.” “I know. That’s why we have to protect it and make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands, okay?”Star nodded resolutely. “Don’t worry, Mom. The magic is safe with me!”“I’m sure that it is.”Unbeknownst to Star, everything changed that day.Star’s whole world seemed to shift beneath her feet yet remain exactly the same. The cottage that had served as her solace throughout her early years became her prison and the staff she had grown up with were more akin to guards every day that passed.The dense forest had taken on the role of her own personal training grounds. After all, Star grew even more determined to prove to her mother that she wasn’t in need of protection anymore. At twelve years old, Star Butterfly had mastered the art of sword fighting (courtesy of those who shared the cottage with her) and became the most resourceful escape artist Mewman soldiers had ever dealt with. On one occasion even managing to get into the kingdom before being caught and sent back to her cottage in the woods.Through her adventures and escape attempts, rumours of Mewni’s heir spread to the farthest ends of the kingdom. It wasn’t long before the mysterious hidden child of royal blood had captured everyone’s imagination. Anticipation began to fester and grow as word of Mewni’s future monarch spread.~*~The next time Queen Moon visited she brought her royal carriage with her. That was new.In the past, the Royal Family had taken great measures to stop anyone from tracing them to Star's location. So, to show up with a carriage pulled by two pearly white warnicorns, was a change of pace.Star was at the front door in a heartbeat. A cluster of tried maids and guards rushed to the princesses’ side, seemingly as confused as she was.The carriage came to a halt a short distance from the cottage. A short coachman hurried to secure the carriage and open the door, bowing low as the queen stepped out. She immediately met eyes with Star and smiled warmly, only to be taken by surprise as her husband, King River, bound from behind her and raced to take his daughter in his arms.“Star! It’s been so long since I last saw you. You’ve grown so much!”Star immediately threw her hands around her father’s chest, squeezing him tightly in return.Queen Moon pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. “For pity’s sake, River, it’s only been a few weeks.”“It’s been much too long.”“Mom! Dad! Not I don’t want you here or anything, but why? It’s not my birthday or anything…” The princess gasped. “Is it my birthday?”King River laughed. "No, no. It's not your birthday.”Queen Moon stepped forward. “Your father and I just thought that maybe it would be best if you continued your training in the castle.”Star was left dumbfounded. “You mean that castle?” She pointed to the coral-coloured turrets that could barely be seen in the distance. “The one in the centre of Mewni?”"Which other castle would we be talking about?"Star folded her arms and narrowed her eyes sceptically. “Knowing you guys, there’s probably some other, lame castle hidden away in the forest that I won’t be able to escape from without growing my hair out - like that one fairy-tale.” Star shivered.“Don’t be ridiculous, Star. There’s only one castle.”“And you’re letting me stay there?”“Yes.”“What’s the catch?”Queen Moon sighed in agitation. “The catch is that you’re inside the carriage within the next ten seconds or wait until you’re fourteen before coming to live there.”Star dove for the open door.~*~“So, how does this thing work? Do I get to make laws too? You know since I’m the princess and stuff.”“No, Star, you will continue your lessons like normal.”Star threw her head back and groaned loudly. “But that’s not fair! I want to explore the kingdom. I’m going to be Queen one day. How can I be Queen if I don’t even know what my kingdom looks like?”“You can’t be Queen if you don’t know basic mathematics either.”Star glared at her mother. Touché.“I don’t need math; that’s what magic is for.”Star gasped and gripped her mother’s arm in excitement. “How about magic? Can I start learning magic now?”“I promised that you could start learning magic when you turn fourteen. You’re not fourteen yet.”“You said a lot of things when I was little. Most of it was made-up anyway. You told me that an evil monster lurked within the castle.” Star’s voice took on a dramatic turn as she tried to recreate the terror 'The Monster’ had struck in her when she was a child.Moon looked to Star who was still skipping alongside her. When the Queen spoke, her voice was hard and unwavering. “I wasn’t lying. There really is a monster in the castle, which means that you should be more careful.”“Woah, really?” Star blinked in disbelief. “Well, isn’t that more of a reason to teach me magic?”“No. You’re better off keeping away from it altogether.”“Magic?”“No. The monster”Star grew quiet and did not speak until they had stopped outside her bedroom.“Mom.”“Yes, Star?”“If the monster is really so dangerous, then why do you keep it in the castle?”The Queen placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder, but it offered no comfort. “I’ll tell you when you’re older. Anyway, you’re a smart girl. I’m sure that if you pay attention in history class, you’ll figure it out sooner or later.”With that Queen Moon turned and made her way back down the hallway, her heels clicking as they struck the marble slabs that made up the floor.~*~Admittedly, living in a castle was pretty amazing.In her new environment, Star’s sense of adventure had been completely renewed and she found herself wonderstruck at every intricate detail of the building. While she hadn’t actually managed to find a way outside yet, it was fun trying to piece together the layout of her new home. Besides, if she couldn’t make it onto the lower floors without a guide, her chances of finding a back door to sneak out of were pretty slim. Still, roaming the halls and dodging her tutors was pretty fun, especially since she was completely lost. She had been playing this game since early morning and was yet to grow tired of it. Star was certain that as long as she found food by lunchtime, this could go on for much longer. “Star Butterfly! Your Highness! Please come out, you are seventeen minutes late for your literature lesson!”
‘Literature? No thank you.’
Star pressed her back against the cool stone of the castle walls and held her breath. There was absolutely no way she was going to spend all day in a stuffy classroom reading the world’s most boring books. “Princess, please! Queen Moon will be most unhappy if I report you absent yet again!”Star tensed, the tutor was getting closer. ‘There’s got to be somewhere to hide, this place is huge. But where? There’s no telling which one of these doors are locked.’From the other end of the hallway, Star watched a figure make its way to the corner of the room. It was an unusual feature. It seemed to be where a tower connected to the main building, resulting in the door being fixed at an angle. The perfect angle for the door to blend seamlessly with the stone. Star smiled. ‘Bingo.’Stealth was not one of Star’s best qualities, so, hopefully, if she was quick enough, Star might be able to make it past the door before anyone notices her.She waited as long as time would allow her before making a break for the door, praying that she wasn’t noticed by either her tutor or the other person who had just made their way up the tower. Thankfully, Star had passed the doorframe just in time to escape the pair of prying eyes.Intrigued by the weird tower, Star made her way up the stairs, taking them two at a time. The stone was old and worn. Unlike other parts of the castle that remained pristine, the tower seemed significantly older and neglected. The climb up the stairs was steep and Star actually found herself panting a little by the time she had reached the landing. The tower opened up onto the upper floor of the castle, while another steep, spiral staircase seemed to stretch even higher. Unwilling to climb another flight of stairs, Star decided to dip out of the archway and onto the next floor of the castle. Just as Star rounded the corner she stopped short.It was a boy making his way down the hallway with a book in one hand. A mop of jet black hair was neatly gelled back to his scalp and fell down the back of his neck, where it was bound back by a ribbon.There was one thing that made Star falter and that was the large, grey tail that trailed behind him, flicking leisurely from side to side as he walked.Star watched in fascination as he turned to one of the doors and twisted the knob with his free hand. Finally catching a glimpse of his face Star’s eyes widened in fascination. It was some type of lizard-person. She had never seen one of them before.Checking that the coast was clear one final time, Star jogged the short distance from her hiding place to the door she had seen the lizard open just moments ago.Grinning in excitement, Star took hold of the doorknob and began to turn it very slowly, listening for it to click open.Upon hearing the door unlock Star waited for any kind of sound on the other side – a sign that she had been caught. But there was none and she breathed in relief. The princess only dared open the door just enough to slide into the room. It appeared to be a dimly lit library of sorts. Star ducked behind one of the bookcases.She scanned the books in front of her, squinting to pick out the titles from beneath a layer of dust and darkness, however, the books kept on these shelves seemed ancient. Their pages were yellowed; emitting the smell of decaying wood and the titles that were etched onto the covers varied. Some of them were legible and others were written in a different language altogether. Star tucked the book back in place on the shelf. They seemed pretty boring, even compared to the ones she would be forced to read in her literature lesson.But that wasn’t important now. She had another task at hand. ‘C’mon, Star, find the lizard person…’Truth be told, it wasn’t that hard to find him when you weren’t distracted by spooky books and dust.The lizard seemed to be seated at a desk at the far end of the library. A long, semi-circular window was fixed before him, casting bright light onto his form as he sat hunched over the desk. Star slowly made her way towards him, placing her feet carefully as to not alert him to her presence. “Don’t you have better things to do?”Star stopped in her tracks. Had he really heard her? She thought that she was being quiet but it seemed as though this guy had some really good ears. Well, that or she was just not quiet enough – stealth never was her forte after all.However, before Star could stutter out an apology, the lizard continued to speak from where his head was bowed over a book.“Seriously, I’m not in the mood today, so just get it –“The lizard finally craned his head to look at the intruder, coming face-to-face with Star.The princess only hesitated for a second before speaking loudly.“Hi, my name is Star Butterfly! It’s nice to meet you.”Star smiled and held out her hand.The lizard ignored it in favour of getting up from his seat. He stood about a head taller than Star and appeared to look a few years older than her. Then, in one fluid motion, the lizard dropped to one knee and bowed respectfully, holding his pose while he spoke.“My liege, how kind of you to grace me with your presence. I humbly offer my services to you and seek the good princess’ satisfaction.”The lizard’s voice was loud and unapologetic, he appeared every part a servant of the royal family. The illusion shattered only by the sarcasm laced into his words and bright yellow eyes staring at her defiantly from his place on the ground. There were never many occasions where Star was unsure of how to act but this was certainly one of them. “Oh, no, no, no. You don’t need to do any of that royal stuff, it just makes things awkward.”Star tried her best to sound confident but her words cracked and wavered in her hurry to get them out. “As you wish.” The lizard got to his feet and stared down at the princess expectantly.Star tried in vain to compose herself. “So, what’s your name?”“It’s Toffee, your highness. Toffee of Septarsis”
‘Toffee. Huh, weird name.’
“Well, Toffee, what are you doing in here? And stop with the princess stuff, it makes me feel too much like my Mom.” Star winced. Her Mom was definitely going to kill her when she found out about her game of ‘hide and seek’ with the staff today.Toffee gasped in feigned horror. “But Princess, that would be unbecoming of me.”Star sighed and turned her attention to the desk, spying the book Toffee was reading just moments ago. A variety of other titles had been plucked from the bookcases and stacked into neat piles around the workspace.“What are you reading?”Star edged closer to glimpse the worn pages. Strange symbols were printed on the paper in place of words. It was an array of characters that resembled pictures rather than letters (at least from any alphabet Star was familiar with). “It’s nothing.”Toffee quickly flicked the book shut and glared at the princess. He had completely discarded the joking tone from before and the clipped curtness of his words surprised Star a little more than she would like to admit.“What language is that? It looks so cool! Can you read some of it to me?”Toffee stepped in front of the book, effectively putting some distance between the future Queen of Mewni and his reading material.“That would be ill-advised, your highness. Septarian books are ‘bland’ - for lack of a better word. If it pleases, I could guide you to the Celena Library. There is a larger variety of books there that may be more suited to your tastes.”Star shook her head and tried to skirt around Toffee, who still continued to place himself in front of the book.“But those look so much more interesting. Besides, I can’t go downstairs – they’ll find me.”Toffee raised an eyebrow in curiosity.“Who are you hiding from, Princess?”“What are you hiding, Toffee?”The lizard tensed and glared at the girl before him with narrowed eyes before sighing in resignation.“Fine.” He turned around and picked up the book. He brushed his hand over the cover, ridding it of dust and causing Star to cough violently into her hand as she choked on the air.Toffee moved to pass the book into Star’s eager hands but pulled it back suddenly.“Before I give you this, I feel obligated to tell you that I do not hold myself responsible for what you find inside.”Star’s eyes lit up. “Okay, I’ve got it.” The princess balanced on the balls of her feet and stretched a hand up to grab at the book Toffee held just out of her reach.“Make sure that you go somewhere quiet.”Star nodded enthusiastically and allowed Toffee to escort her to the door.Toffee eased open the door and surveyed the empty hallway.“Okay. The coast is clear, your highness.”Star clutched the book tightly to her chest and smiled widely. “Thank you.”Toffee tipped his head in acknowledgement and quietly shut the door.Star giggled quietly as she felt the adrenaline rush through her veins. She was holding a forbidden book – probably. The rules around here were still pretty foreign.There must be a reason Toffee was so reluctant to let her see it, right?Book in hand, Star made her way down the hallway in search of a new hiding spot.~*~This had to be some kind of joke.Star clutched at her hair in frustration and turned the page.The whole book was written in weird symbols, rendering the whole thing completely useless. Toffee had to know what he was doing. It was obvious that he didn’t want Star to know whatever this thing said. After all, what good is a book of secrets if you can’t read it?
‘No, it’s okay. There must be a dictionary of sorts somewhere. Finding it would be difficult though.’
Star had spent a majority of the afternoon flipping through what she was certain to be the world’s most boring book – literature studies be damned!Star started suddenly as the door was thrown open. She had managed to hide-out in an empty guest bedroom for the time being and was honestly a little impressed at how quickly she was found, considering the size of the castle.“Star Butterfly! Whatever are you doing?”Star grimaced at the sound of her mother’s voice and mumbled to herself in agitation.The princess got to her feet, kicking the book under the bed discreetly. “Oh, hi, Mom!” “Star, where have you been all day? We’ve all been looking for you non-stop!”“About that… I actually got a little bit lost on my way to my geography lesson and thought ‘oh, well, there’s not much point in going to the others’ so decided to stay here until someone found me.”“And what were you reading?”Star bit her lip and averted her gaze. “I wasn’t reading anything. I’ve had enough of that already with Mrs Monson. Why would I want to read even more books? That doesn’t make any sense.”“Star, you’re a really bad liar. Bring me the book.”Star reluctantly retrieved the volume from under the bed and passed it to her mother.Queen Moon gasped upon studying its cover and started down the hallway. Star ran to catch up with her and tried to match the Queen’s merciless pace.“What’s so wrong about it? It’s just a book.”“It’s not ‘just a book’, Star. Where did you even find something like this?”“I borrowed it. From Toffee.”The Queen stopped dead in her tracks. “You spoke to Toffee?”Star took a moment and braced herself with her hands on her knees. She was panting lightly and looked up at her mother in confusion.“Yeah, earlier this morning. Why?”“Star, I thought I told you to stay away from Toffee.”Star frowned and shook her head in indignation.“You never mentioned anything about Toffee!”“Yes, I did. I told you to stay away from the monster.”Star crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.“Toffee isn’t a monster. Okay, he might be kind of a jerk – but that doesn’t make him dangerous.”“All monsters are dangerous, Star. If you meet someone that isn’t Mewman, then stay away from them. Especially since you’re the princess – you are Mewni’s only heir. I don’t know what I would do with myself if anything ever happened to you.”The Queen wrapped her arms around Star tightly but Star remained firmly in place, her mother’s affection not reciprocated. Queen Moon pulled back, dejection swimming in her blue eyes.“Let’s go find your father. I heard that the Johansens may have had a history with ancient texts.”~*~King River was eventually found in the courtyard, addressing a few soldiers who appeared to be nodding frantically as the king bellowed orders.Star cringed from her place at Queen Moon’s side. She had never seen her father react so ruthlessly. Star had always described her Dad as welcoming, good-natured and friendly so this sudden change in character caused the blood in her veins to run icy cold despite the warm sunlight that washed the surrounding flowers in a golden sheen.King River’s head whipped around upon hearing two pairs of approaching footsteps.“Star! Where were you? I’ve had nearly half the royal guard traipsing the streets looking for the missing princess.”Queen Moon stepped forward and handed the book to her husband. “She was reading.”“I see.” King River turned back to the waiting soldiers. “Bring me the lizard.”After performing cursory salutes, the trio of soldiers hastily made their way back into the main body of the castle.Star tried, with trepidation, to squeeze between her parents.“I don’t get it. What’s so bad about a book?”Queen Moon sighed. “It’s disinformation, Star. That monster is trying to corrupt your mind.”The princess recoiled. “He wasn’t doing anything like that, I swear! What’s Toffee done that makes you guys so afraid of him, anyway?”The King and Queen looked to each other then back to their daughter. "It isn't what he has done. It's what he might do." The Queen's voice dripped with patronizing sweetness. "All monsters are evil. It's the way they were born."Star bristled. “Wait, are you telling me that Toffee’s done nothing wrong?”“No. It’s not like that-“Queen Moon glanced past star suddenly and squared her shoulders.Star followed suit and caught Toffee standing some distance away. She felt caught between smiling smugly or yelling at him to run away while he still can.“Forgive my impertinence, your highnesses. I did not realise I was interrupting.” Toffee dipped his head politely, hands clasped behind his back.“You will endeavour to do better, I’m sure.”Star looked up in horror. She tugged sharply on the pale blue silk of her mother’s dress, seeking her attention. “Mom!” Star hissed quietly.True to her title, the Queen remained undaunted by Star’s opposition and kept her eyes trained on Toffee.Moon took the book from River and passed it to Toffee, who turned his attention to the detailing on the front cover.“It appears that my daughter has obtained unauthorised reading material. Do you happen to have any idea of how she came into contact with such a book?”Toffee dropped his eyes to one side.“It was me who gave it to her, Highness. I should have known better, please accept my humblest of apologies.”“But that’s not what happened!” River clasped a hand over his daughter’s shoulder and shook his head in an attempt to silence her. Still, Star shook him off and continued. “I was the one who asked for the book, I made him give it to me!”“Is this true, Toffee?” Star shivered, the way Queen Moon said Toffee’s name was downright unsettling. She had no idea that her mother was capable of placing so much malice behind one word.“No, your highness, the ordeal was a result of my malpractice. I accept full responsibility.”A smile of satisfaction pulled at the monarch’s lips.“While I have you here, pray tell, what kind of book did you give to Star?”“It was but a children’s storybook, your highness.”“How do you intend to prove that?”Toffee opened the book and flipped a few of the pages before clearing his throat and reading the words on the page.Star listened intently to the outlandish syllables that fell from his mouth. They sounded new and magical in a way that resembled the wonder she felt while watching the Royal Wand in action.As soon as Toffee began speaking he was finished and looked up at the royal family for a fleeting moment before trying to translate the passage as a description of some kind of beast.Clearly, beyond bored, King River interjected. "Yes, yes. I think we've heard more than enough. See to it that you do not approach Star again." He took his wife by the arm and lead her away, all the while Queen Moon continued to glare at Toffee.Bowing low, Toffee replied, “Yes, your majesty.” As soon as the king and Queen were out of sight, the lizard straightened up and made to walk away without sparing Star a glance.The princess followed him regardless and tried to keep up with the lizard’s long strides.“That was incredible! Is that really a book of monster fairy tales?”Toffee did not look down at the young girl at his heels. Instead, he kept walking, eyes fixed in front of him.“No.”“But you read it. You translated it and everything.”Toffee sighed in annoyance, all semblance of his submissive façade abandoned.“Princess, I am the only one in the castle that is able to read Septatian, let alone understand it. I most certainly was not referring to a beast from any storybook, let alone the one with me now.”Star frowned. “So, if this isn’t fairy tales, then what is it?”Toffee shrugged, seemingly delighted at the princess’ growing frustration.“That isn’t a question you should be asking me. I have just told you that whatever answer I give you cannot be trusted.”“So, you lied to the Queen,” Star’s head perked up in a moment of realisation. “Twice!”Toffee remained quiet.“First you told her that I didn’t beg you for the book, then you lied about what it said inside.”“What of it?”“Why did you take the blame for me?”Toffee continued in silence for a few long seconds and Star feared that he had abandoned conversation altogether.“I guess I was repaying a debt, in a way.” Toffee’s answer was quiet and only muttered to himself but Star still caught the words and held them tightly.“What does that mean?”Toffee shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. Either way, they would not have believed me if I implicated you.”“That’s not fair!”“That’s the monarchy.”Star pursed her lips in anger and continued to walk alongside Toffee. Several servants spared the duo worried glances and muttered to each other in hushed voices as they passed by.Star seemed blind to their disapproval and stared off to one side, clearly trying to make sense of something. It was Toffee’s careful gaze which cautioned him of the fact that accompanying the princess may not a sensible idea. Toffee stopped at one of the many doors along the hallway and rested his hand on the doorknob.“Listen, Princess, I don’t think it would be wise for you to continue talking to me.”Star looked up suddenly at the sound of Toffee’s voice.“Why? Don’t you like having me around?”“For the record: no. I really, really don’t like having you around.”Star moved to protest but Toffee cut her off.“There’s also the fact that the Queen would rather have you not associating with the likes of me.”“That’s putting it mildly.”“Okay, she would probably tie me up and leave me for the crows if she finds out that I’ve been conversing with you. That any better?”Star nodded quickly, secretly a little shaken. “Yeah, that’s definitely more like Mom.”Toffee wasn't moving and Star had run out of things to say. She stood there awkwardly for a short while, reluctant to move. Leaving Toffee at this moment seemed so final and though she didn’t know why Star found the prospect of taking those few steps away rather daunting.“Just- just one more thing…” Star looked at her feet for a few seconds before turning her gaze upwards to stare into the cold, yellow eyes of the monster she had so feared throughout her childhood.“Before you mentioned something about ‘repaying a debt’. What did you mean.”Toffee seemed a little disarmed by her question and appeared to debate answering the young princess. After a few seconds, Star resigned herself to the fact that she was not getting an answer and readied herself to just walk away and leave Toffee alone. She had done more than enough to get him into trouble today and he didn’t owe her anything.“Since the moment you met me, you spoke with me as an equal despite my standing being more akin to a slave. I did not wish for the Queen to punish you for what was simply my wrongdoing.”“What do you mean?” Star seemed exasperated and thirsty for answers.“I shouldered the blame because I planted the book on you. I was aware that Septarian literature would get you into trouble. I was, however, not aware that you would attempt to clear my name. In other words, I did not wish to act as an animal when someone finally treated me as a person.”With that, Toffee opened the door and slipped inside. Star considered following him but found that she could not move. Her feet felt rooted in place, while her mouth hung open in shock. The young princess felt truly conflicted for the first time in her young life. Her loyalty lay with the Butterfly family – she knew what. So why did she feel both betrayed and guilty?Queen Moon had been her role model for years. Star strove to be as similar to her mother as possible, though now their similarities made the young heir uncomfortable in her own skin.Toffee was a monster. There was no use denying the fact that he certainly looked the part, however, his sharp tone held no real bite and his intelligence seemed unparalleled.By Star’s standards, Toffee seemed more Mewman than her own parents and that thought terrified her.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
By the Princess’ 13th birthday, she had managed to charm her way into the hearts of those around her. The palace staff had quickly become fond of the new addition to the Royal Family and went out of their way to see that their future queen was as happy as could be. Essentially, Star could get away with whatever she wanted.Well – almost anything.The only person in the castle who had yet to succumb to Star’s charm was the lizard himself.Toffee was unchanged by the princess’ antics. If anything, Star has become somewhat of a pest. She would show up unannounced and getting her to leave had become more and more challenging as time passed. In hindsight, Toffee should have held strong and insisted that she not associate with monsters. Despite his efforts, Star always found her way into whatever secret room Toffee had hauled himself up in. Though he would never admit it, Toffee had also begun to notice a change within the princess – nothing overtly obvious, a subtle shift in character, perhaps?Still, Toffee thought it a little unnerving that nobody else had picked up on their heir’s struggle.Spending a year in the Royal Castle had begun to take effect on Star. Residing within its walls was both brilliant and horribly claustrophobic. She was always venturing off into uncharted territory and learning the building brick-by-brick. It seemed that while her escapades were fun, without a friend to share them with, Star Butterfly grew awfully and unbearably lonely.Toffee presumed that’s where he features. Star, desperate for a companion to talk to, bends and shapes him to resemble a friend of sorts. Toffee begrudgingly figures that it is rather nice to be able to make eye contact with someone when they speak. The art of talking freely still seems foreign to him, especially since he is conversing with a Butterfly, though Star has yet to react badly to anything he says. It’s unsettling.Despite the obvious distance between them, the duo had unwittingly come to rely on each other. It was a sad sort of bond that neither could ever really put into words or fully understand. “Toffee! Wait!”Previous experience screamed at the lizard that those words coupled with that voice were his cue to hide in the nearest available room for the trouble to pass by outside.“Toffee! I know you can hear me, I won’t fall for that a second time!”It was with a sigh of resignation that Toffee turned around.“Star Butterfly. To what do I owe the pleasure?” His words seemed polite and rehearsed, killed only by the sarcasm that clung to every syllable.“It’s Sunday and that means that everyone else is busy doing cleaning and stuff so they can’t watch over me.”Toffee quirked an eyebrow.“Basically, it’s my free day.”“Princess, I’m not helping you cut classes again. Remember what happened last time?”The Princess shivered at the unwelcome memory.“Okay, that one was my fault.” She nodded her head in understanding. “I swear, this time I actually don’t have any work to do. So, can I hang out with you?”“Why would you want to do that? I’m sure there are better ways to spend a Sunday than running errands with the very person you’re not supposed to talk to.” The question itself was ridiculous. Star always followed him around and helped with whatever work he had to do (providing she didn’t make an even bigger mess, which actually tended to happen more often than not). In actuality, Toffee was pressing for something deeper. Some kind of hint as to what Star was thinking. What image she had sculpted of the monster she was supposed to hate.“You’re fun to be around,” that was certainly not true, “and my Mom is really driving me crazy today.”“I’d love to be a part of your whole Mewberty ‘rebel-against-your-parents’ phase, Princess, but I honestly can’t let you come with me today.”Star seemed genuinely confused. It was rare occasions where Toffee would all-out refuse and normally Star seemed to respect him enough to back off but it appeared as though the Princess was not about to relent so easily today.“Why?”“I need to get to the market today. The kitchen staff have been complaining about a shortage of tomatoes, so it’s me who has to go out and get them.” Toffee punctuated his sentence with a frustrated sigh.As if a switch had been flicked, Star’s face lit up.“You’re going outside? Really?”“Unfortunately.”“Can I come with you? Please? I haven’t left the castle in a year and I can feel myself going insane.” The Princess stumbled forward clumsily and took hold of her friend’s shirt, lightly shaking him in exaggerated despair.Toffee brushed her off and straightened his clothes.“Why do you want to go outside, anyway? There’s nothing much to see.”“But I’ve never seen the kingdom of Mewni before – well, I’ve never actually walked around it. I’ve never spoken to the people- ““Don’t bother.” Toffee looked off to the side, his voice dripping with venom.“But one day I’ll be their Queen! How can I rule a country if I don’t even know what my people want?”“You should rule Mewni in your own way. Don’t let other people tell you how to run your own kingdom.” Toffee suddenly looked a lot older. There was something in his normally sharp stare that felt softer, worn down with time. “That’s the beauty of being Queen: you can do whatever you want without having to worry about how your choices affect others.”Star shook her head insistently.“That’s not true! A Queen must always put her subjects first.”“Whatever you say.” Toffee’s voice sounded passive but his clenched fists did not go unnoticed by the young princess.“Toffee, please. Please let me go with you.”The lizard shifted in discomfort and looked off to the side. Star watched his internal debate with baited breath. Eventually, he turned back to the princess and gave a jerky nod in assent.“Fine.” The word seemed ever-so-slightly strained and Toffee swallowed hard before continuing. “You can come on the condition that you do as I say.”Star beamed. “Yeah, yeah, of course.” “Right, we need cloaks.”“Why? It’s almost summer out there, we’ll be way too hot.”“True but we also need to keep a low profile. Being the only monster in Mewni seems to warrant a fair bit of attention.”“Oh yeah, I didn’t think of that.”“Besides, in case you’ve forgotten, Your Highness, the Mewmans have also yet to be introduced to their heir. Princess Star Butterfly taking a leisurely stroll through a crowded area of the kingdom also has its problems.”Star frowned. “I want to be able to talk to people. That’s the whole point of going outside!”“I thought the point of going outside was to see the kingdom.”“And the people! It’s kind of a package deal.”“Definitely not.” Toffee said and shook his head adamantly. “If we’re going, we’re going on my terms.”Star deflated. “Okay, fine. I won’t say anything.” Somewhat relieved, Toffee turned to continue walking down the hallway.“Do you have anything you can use to shield your face?”Star nodded. “My winter clothes are all kept together, I can probably find a cloak there.”“No, anything you own will most likely have the Butterfly crest on it. We can’t chance anybody linking you to the royal family.”“In that case, I don’t think I have anything.”Toffee stopped and Star watched him think deeply once again.“Follow me.”Toffee turned and headed off in a different direction, slipping through tight gaps and into narrow passageways that even Star had not yet discovered on one of her many castle exploration quests.He stopped at an old oak door.This was definitely one of the older parts of the castle. It lacked the bright paint that usually covered every inch of the walls and the lingering smell of damp also seemed to hang heavily in the air.“Toffee, where are we?” Star asked, trying to hide her discomfort.Toffee reached for his neck and pulled a length of burlap twine over his head. Both ends appeared to be knotted together, resembling a necklace of sorts. A large steel key hung from it in place of a pendant.“This is my room.”Toffee inserted the key into the lock and turned it. Upon hearing it click open, Toffee pushed open the large door and made his way inside. Star followed him cautiously.One they had both passed the threshold, Toffee moved to shut the door again. Star was running her eyes over Toffee’s very few possessions when she heard the lock click from behind her.She turned suddenly. “Why did you lock the door?”Toffee had already retrieved his cloak from where it hung against the wall, suspended by a rusty nail and had laid it across his small desk.“Hmm?” The lizard looked up and at Star then turned his attention to the key around his neck. “Oh, force of habit.”He removed the twine necklace again and tossed it in Star’s direction.The princess fumbled to catch the key as it clattered to the ground. “There aren’t too many people who come for a friendly visit, so it is nice to have some privacy. I thank your parents in that regard.”Star nodded though aware that Toffee was no longer looking at her. She turned the key over in her hand.‘Did Toffee really have it that bad?’ The princess frowned. She couldn’t imagine having to hide away in her room to avoid being mocked or attacked or whatever it was that Toffee had to deal with on a daily basis.“It’s not perfect, but it’s the best I can do if we’re going to get you back unnoticed.”Toffee stood from his chair and held up the modified cloak. The cloak itself was a deep navy blue. Star recognised it instantly as her father’s. “Hey! That belongs to my dad!”Toffee shrugged, unfazed. “He’s got plenty. Besides, this one was torn, he was going to throw it out anyway.”Star stepped forward. On closer inspection, she could make out a few loose stitches that Toffee had hastily sewn into the fabric, effectively halving it in length. The lizard passed one of the ends around her neck and reached to fasten it.“You’re quite a bit smaller than me so I didn’t want it dragging on the ground as we walk.”“What about you? If I’m wearing your cloak, then what will you use to hide?”“I’ll just have to go without.”“But you just said that we can’t let anybody see us.”“No. We can’t let anybody see you. I’m allowed to go outside, it’s just…” Toffee hesitated as he tried to find the right word. “…easier, if I have some way of disguising my identity.”“You’ll be okay though, right?”Toffee looked up from where he knelt in front of her and smiled weakly.“Of course.”With the front of the cloak fastened, Toffee stood up.“Wait.” Star looked at the front of the navy-blue cloak. In place of the Butterfly family crest, a plain button was sewn into the fabric.“If this is Dad’s cloak, then what happened to the clasp on the front?”“I removed it.” Toffee reached over to straighten his desk, driving the needle rather forcefully into the pincushion as he spoke. “I will never wear anything with the Butterfly crest on it.”“Right,” Star muttered, mostly to herself.“Are you ready?”Star perked up instantly and made her way towards the door, passing the twine necklace to Toffee and standing aside as he inserted the key into the lock.
~*~
Once outside, it was apparent that the kingdom was on the cusp of summer. Spring was slowly being phased out and replaced with burning, golden light.Despite the castle being located in the heart of the kingdom of Mewni, the cobblestone streets were sparse. Toffee attributed it to the fact that they had left via the rear exit of the castle, there were few soldiers stationed out the back which made it easier to avoid the prying eyes of guards. After all, leaving the castle with the princess in tow likely would not go down well if they happened to be stopped for inspection.“Hey, Toffee.”Star was happily bouncing alongside her companion, who seemed less than enthused as they made their way towards the more heavily populated areas of Mewni.“Yes, Princess?”“I was just wondering,” there was an audible pause. “Why do you hate us so much?”“What do you mean?”“Well, you seem to really hate us - the Butterfly family. Do you hate me too?”Toffee glanced down at Star. “No.”Star frowned from her place at his side, unfulfilled by the lack of response. Though a little part of the princess was relieved that Toffee didn’t actually hate her, at least nowhere as much as he hated her parents, that is.“It’s obvious that you don’t like it here-”“I wonder what gave it away.”“-so, if it’s really all that bad, then why don’t you leave.”“Is the Princess exiling me?” Toffee’s mouth curled into a grin as Star floundered next to him.“No! No, of course not! I would never!” Both Toffee and Star walked a few paces in silence. Star trying desperately to compose herself and Toffee deep in thought.“I can’t leave.” Toffee’s voice sounded light and distant as if he was reinforcing the words to himself and himself alone.As far as Star was concerned the words that lifted from Toffee’s lips sounded way too cryptic. There was definitely something huge that both her mother and Toffee conveniently left out of the narrative but she decided to drop the matter. The princess did not want to test the waters of Toffee’s past, especially since she would be relying on him to more or less show her around.As the marketplace came into view, both Star and Toffee began to notice more and more people. To Toffee’s relief, Star did not heed the disdainful looks being thrown in their direction and instead busied herself with peaking from under the hood of the cloak and inspecting the far-off people in the distance that were going about their day as usual. Most of the Mewmans’ attention seemed to be on the lizard which, thankfully, left Star well out of the public eye.Not that she noticed. The princess was too busy getting caught up in the hustle and bustle of Mewni’s largest marketplace. She seemed to dance around the ankles of passers-by and examine both the food and stallholders alike. True to her word, Star did not attempt to engage any of them in conversation and settled rather happily for being a spectator.Actually, that seemed to be the main problem. Without Star’s familiar voice to follow, Toffee found himself weaving around people in a frenzy trying to keep up with her. The dark colour of her cloak only seemed to make the whole situation more difficult and Toffee bit his tongue to refrain from calling out to her and arousing suspicion.When Toffee caught up with her, Star was standing fixed in front of a small stall. It seemed to sell an assortment of random objects that had been gathered throughout the land. Toffee dismissed it as mostly collectors’ items of dubious authenticity. Star stood on her tiptoes with her hands braced against the wooden shelf of the cart. There was obviously something that had caught her eye.“What is it, Prin-“ Toffee caught himself before the full word passed his lips and he hastily cleared his throat to disguise the error. “What do you want?”The lizard figured that a small souvenir might satiate the princess. After all, she had waited well over a year to actually get the chance to go outside.“That notebook.” Star was pointing to a small book, partially hidden by garish paintings and unsettling tapestries.Toffee stood there for a moment wondering if he had heard her properly.“I’m sorry?”“That little green book.” Star turned to look up. “It reminds me of the ones in your library. That means it must contain secrets.”Toffee leant down so that he could be heard by Star without having to raise his voice too much.“Do you see the wings on the front?” Star turned to look at the volume again. Pressed into the dark green leather was a pair of large wings outlined with gold.The Princess nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. It’s really pretty, isn’t it?”“The wings were a sign infamously tied with Castle Avarius.”Star seemed confused. “But Mom said that there was only one castle. The one we live in.”“Castle Avarius had been standing a lot longer than the one in Mewni.”Star’s eyes flashed with intrigue. “Where is it? Can we go there?”“No, it has been destroyed.”“Why?”Toffee looked away and Star saw something dangerous cross his eyes. ‘Yep, he is certainly holding back.’ “I can’t tell you that. I don’t think the Queen would approve.” Toffee spoke through gritted teeth. He gave a lingering glance towards the book then Star before continuing in a rushed whisper.“Castle Avarius was home to another royal family. It belonged to Lord Brudo and Lady Avarius, they ruled over the surrounding land as any other monarch should. Both of them were killed in their own castle many summers ago. Without a ruler, Castle Avarius fell to ruin and to this day artefacts are still being salvaged from the wreckage.”Star’s hands flew up to her mouth in horror. “That’s awful! Why would anyone kill them like that?”A ghost of a smile appeared on Toffee’s lips. “They were Monsters.”Star could feel Toffee’s stare now more than ever. His amber eyes scrutinized her every move and left the princess feeling as if it were some sort of test.“They were monsters?” Star echoed his words, testing them out as if they would magically put everything into perspective.They didn’t.There were more monsters – other than Toffee that is – and they were royalty nonetheless.Star suddenly felt nauseous and swayed back and forth on her feet. There was the distinct feeling of betrayal that Star fought desperately to suppress. The Butterfly family name felt more and more uncomfortable to wear the longer she spent time with Toffee. Star had no idea what had happened in the past, it was something her mother and Toffee were equally vague about. From the scraps of information Star managed to gather, it was apparent that whatever happened between Mewmans and Monsters had not been good.“Here.”Star was brought out of her daze by Toffee’s voice.When Star turned to look at him, he was holding the notebook out expectantly. “Thank you,” Star uttered in awe.Toffee stared back, genuine confusion spread across his face. “You’re welcome.”Star noticed that Toffee had genuinely not expected an expression of gratitude and pretended that it was not the most tragic thing she had heard in a long time.The princess took the book tentatively and ran her fingers over the front, tracing the golden wings and inspecting the spine for an author’s name. Star found there was none and instead flicked through the pages, scanning them for writing of any sort.“It’s blank.” Toffee scowled from over her shoulder and looked hatefully from the stallholder to the considerably deflated pouch of coins that hung from his hip.“That doesn’t matter.” Star’s excitement didn’t waver. “Now we can fill it with our own secrets.”“Your optimism scares me sometimes.” Toffee muttered. “Anyway, I need groceries. Make sure you hide that book properly, we don’t want a repeat of last time.”“I know.” Star clutched the leather book to her chest and contentedly followed Toffee as he made his way to the far end of the market where fresh fruit spilled from large, wicker baskets.Toffee immediately headed over to the one that sold tomatoes and retrieved his pouch to give the last of his money to the vendor.Star noticed that Toffee had grown considerably quieter since they had broken away from the main group of people. His eyes also seemed to dart about in haste while he pressed Star ever-so-slightly closer.“Hey! Look who it is.” A voice rang out over the noise of the crowd and Toffee felt his blood run cold.Star felt a firm hand on her shoulder and Toffee’s voice next to her ear.“Keep walking. Don’t look up.”Star did as she was told and allowed Toffee’s hand to guide her around other civilians. The two of them were moving at a brisk walk and Star found it difficult to avoid being trampled and keep up with Toffee’s long strides.Suddenly though, as they reached the edge of the crowd, Toffee stilled.The lizard pulled the princess behind him and stood tall. Star clutched at the back of Toffee’s shirt and took this moment to peek around his torso and look at the threat.Two men had blocked their path and were approaching slowly while yelling threats at Toffee. Star tried to pull the hood tighter over her head and block out the noise.For every step they took, Toffee backed up. Creating as much space between the princess and the men as possible. Meanwhile, his eyes frantically scanned the crowd. He needed an opening, a small break in the flow of people that he could pull the princess through. “Toffee.”Star’s voice wavered and Toffee looked briefly behind him, noticing that Star was now pressed against the wall of a bakery. There was no way they would be able to run away if they were closed in this tightly.Toffee started to panic. He could possibly call out in the hope that Mewman soldiers would hear them. It likely would not end well for him but at least they would be able to ensure that Star gets back to the castle safely.The men were mere feet away now, almost within arm’s reach. There was no time to wait for help that may never come. Toffee trained his eyes on the aggressors and made sure that one hand held Star firmly behind his back.“You weren’t planning on going anywhere, were you?”With nowhere left to run, Toffee did something he had never done before. He squared his shoulders, looked the man directly in the eye and spoke clearly.“Get out of my way.”For a brief moment, the men exchanged a look of shock. Then the one that was closest discretely withdrew a pocket knife and pressed the point into the flesh beneath Toffee’s chin. “Let’s try that again.” He began slowly, spitting every word with detest.Toffee wasted no time. He balled one hand into a tight fist and swung, hitting his attacker directly in the jaw. Star gasped from behind him but Toffee did not wait for the other to react as he bolted, dragging Star alongside him.They did not make it far. While one of the men lay on the ground, the other stepped up to take his place. Toffee saw the sun flash on the silver blade and reacted on impulse, shielding Star and bringing one arm up to block the attack.The first thing Toffee heard was the Star’s scream and he worried for a brief moment that she had been struck by the knife. Though upon looking up, he noticed that the knife had been rammed through his hand. It landed in the centre of his palm and red blood was leaking from around the blade, running over the edge of his hand before dripping onto the cobblestone floor where it was already forming a puddle at his feet.Star’s shriek of terror seemed to be enough to attract the attention of passers-by who gathered to watch the exchange with morbid fascination.Their attacker tried to move in closer once again and through the pain Toffee struggled to figure if he was trying to retrieve his knife or land another blow.Star managed to shake free from Toffee’s tight grip and launch herself in front of the lizard. The onlookers turned to each other and muttered as the princess’ small figure leapt into action.“Stop it!” She cried desperately. There was a lengthy pause before the man glared down at the child who had dared oppose him. Surely, he would not turn on a child. Though that was a chance Toffee was unwilling to take.“Star.”His voice was cautionary and strained. It seized the princess’ attention instantly. She stood there in shock for a moment, realizing that this was the first time Toffee had dared call the Princess by her first name.As difficult as it was, she turned away from Toffee and steeled herself before pulling the hood back in one swift motion. Her golden hair sprung free and fell down her back while her blue eyes swam with anger and tears. She was trying commendably hard to keep her chin held high and lip from trembling.“In the name of the Princess.” The whispering increased around them but nobody moved.Star was well aware that she looked nothing like her mother. Both her hair and eyes were traits she had acquired from her father and she lacked the regal poise Queen Moon seemed to possess. Actually, Star figured that this probably was not the wisest course of action. Especially since the people of Mewni had no idea what their future queen actually looked like and someone like Star was probably not their first guess.A few seconds later though, there were shouts from somewhere far off. It seems as though, guards had been here all along, not that they were anywhere near Star Butterfly. Which meant that there was nothing stopping the eager civilians from trying to get a closer look at their princess. Toffee acted quickly, withdrawing the knife from his right hand and letting the weapon clatter to the floor. He pressed the bleeding wound to his chest in an attempt to temporarily hinder the blood flow. With his free hand, he took Star by the wrist. Pulling her down a series of back alleys in an attempt to lose the curious Mewmans.By the time they stopped running, muffled shouts could be heard dangerously close. Though Toffee seemed at ease so Star tried to relax too, leaning against the wall and trying to catch her breath until she caught the sight of her friend’s hand.Fresh tears ran down her cheeks as she looked on with dismay.“Toffee. Your hand.”Toffee moved it away from his chest, leaving a bright red stain on his otherwise white shirt. “No, no. It’s okay. See?” Toffee held out his hand and Star watched as the skin healed itself. The wound was closing quickly, leaving only dried blood in the palm of his hand, which Toffee quickly scrubbed off. He also turned his hand over, allowing Star to inspect the back.“How did you do that?” Star’s voice was strained with disbelief as she poked and prodded at the area where a knife had burrowed just moments ago.Toffee laughed humourlessly.“Magic.”“Really?”“No.” Star frowned. “Then how?”“It’s just a thing some monsters can do, lizards primarily.”“It’s like magic though, right? You just did something amazing!”Toffee frowned.“It’s nothing like magic. If somebody tries to attack me with a knife, the only thing I can do is stand there and let it happen in the hope that I’ll be able to heal myself later.” Toffee turned to Star. “But you – you are something different entirely. If you were in the same situation, there are a million different ways you could respond.”“What do you mean?”“You’re a Butterfly. You have generations worth of spells at your disposal. You could decide to freeze him, or have the knife explode, or turn him into a bug.”Star suddenly felt very guilty.She knew that Toffee’s words weren’t meant in a malicious way, though they certainly hit deeper than intended.Toffee would not have been attacked today if he was able to hide his identity with the cloak that he gave to Star. Even after that, Toffee was ambushed and Star, despite having a history of magic and a title to boot, could do nothing to stop her friend from getting hurt.“I’m sorry.” Star found it difficult to look Toffee in the eye but felt she should at least try. “Why? It wasn’t your fault. They always seem to find me at some point.”“This happens a lot?” Star’s voice rose to a yell of disbelief, to which Toffee had to remind her that they were still supposed to be hiding. He then gave a doleful nod, eyes downcast.“They had always threatened to bring a knife. I never really took them seriously.” Toffee sighed. “It was bound to happen at some point, I guess. Still, I’d really rather you had not been there to see it.”“Toffee, that’s not okay. Why do they do that?”Toffee shrugged and laughed a little to himself. “I’m not sure. You know, I’ve never really thought to ask them.”“So, what do we do now?” The streets were still packed with noise, which meant that any appearance the princess made would likely be met with a stampede of sorts.“Well, the easiest thing is to turn ourselves in to the nearest Mewman guard. You’ll get back safely and I can deal with whatever punishment the King and Queen see fit. I hope it’s not execution. Do you know how long it would take for me to grow my head back?”Toffee meant it as a joke but Star still seemed very rattled.“No. We can’t do that. You’re not getting hurt for a second time today.”Toffee shrugged dismissively. “Okay then, Princess, what do you propose?”“We could just sneak back into the castle and pretend that we’d never left to begin with.”“There’s no way we’d make it if everyone’s on high alert because their Princess is missing.”Star slumped against the wall in defeat. She sat on the ground with her knees tucked close to her chest and her arms wrapped around them tightly. Toffee took a seat next to her but said nothing.Star suddenly passed her notebook to Toffee, who took it tentatively. The princess then stood up and undid the button on her cloak, letting it slide off her shoulders and pool at her feet. She then set about unpicking the stitches Toffee had previously sewn into the fabric just for her. Once the thread had been removed, Star lifted the cloak up, making sure that it unfurled to its full length. Seemingly satisfied with her work, she dropped it on Toffee’s head.“Here, put the cloak on.”Toffee looked at her sceptically but did as he was told.With the cloak secured around Toffee’s neck, Star reached up to pull the hood over his head. “What exactly is your plan, Princess?”Star nodded with determination. “I’m going to go out there and cause a scene.”“And how exactly do you plan to do that?”Star shrugged. “I’m not sure yet. I’ll figure it out as I go.”Toffee scowled. “That’s a really bad plan.”“Well, it’s better than your idea.”Toffee rolled his eyes irritably. “Okay then, what should I do?”“You need to get back to the castle and hide that book. It should be easy if the princess has already been found.”“And what about the tomatoes?”“I’ll just tell the chef that I ate them. They’re used to me taking what I like from the pantry anyway.”Toffee couldn’t help but grin.“I never thought I’d live to see Star Butterfly taking responsibility.” His tone was light and teasing, a nice change of pace from the rather dire situation they’d landed themselves in.“Yeah, I guess it’s about time,” Star spoke so quietly that she could barely be heard over the shrill shouting that was taking place in the main street.It seemed personal, so Toffee pretended the words fell on deaf ears.“Well,” Star smiled reassuringly one more time. “I’ll see you back at the castle.”Toffee dipped his head in acknowledgement before watching Star Butterfly turn and run back into the crowd, arms flailing.
~*~
By the time summer actually arrived, Star was ready for it to leave.The heat was inescapable and made doing chores so much more difficult than in the colder months. Fortunately for everyone in the castle, the Queen had cut down their workload considerably. Even the Princess herself found it difficult to maintain her usual energy. The searing heat made running about so much more tiring and Star had suddenly had a lot more pity for the royal guard who were still put through their paces despite the other staff being allowed some leeway.When Star had asked her mother about it, the Queen told her that she senses an ‘unrest’ within the kingdom – whatever that means.At first, Star thought it might have had something to do with monsters, with Toffee at the heart of her mother’s unease. Though, since Star’s plan had worked a few weeks prior (Toffee still couldn’t believe it), Queen Moon should have no reason to suspect the lizard at all.Either way, the extra training kept them busy which meant that sneaking out was so much easier.Toffee and Star had taken to venturing down to the river during the day. The riverbank was abundant with soft green grass and sported the occasional oak tree. Technically both the river and the land that flanked it was owned by the Butterflys so Star figured that she was probably allowed to be there. Or she could feign ignorance when someone eventually found them. Whatever the outcome, the Princess would get away with it.On one sunny morning, after a rather explosive fight with her mother, Star made her way down to the riverbank, only to find Toffee already there. He was sat in the shade with his eyes closed and back propped up against the trunk of a tree.He did not look up to see Star approaching but sensed her irritation all the same.“I take it that the Queen said ‘no’ then?”Star growled in annoyance and threw herself down onto the grass beside Toffee.“I’m almost fourteen! I don’t get why she’s so picky about that age in particular. Am I missing something?”Toffee shrugged nonchalantly. “Not that I know of.”“I mean, she won’t even let me look at the spell book – look at it!” Star’s fists curled around her hair and she tugged in irritation. “I promised not to touch it and everything!”Toffee still had yet to open his eyes but hummed in acknowledgement anyway.“The Queen can be like that.”“It’s not fair though. Mom used to let me hold her wand when I was little, so why do I have to wait another 6 months before I even get to practice with it?”“I don’t know.” Toffee’s disinterest was clear in the tone of his voice but Star didn’t seem fazed by it.The princess was quiet for some time and Toffee hoped that she was going to let him sleep in peace for a while.He then heard the tell-tale sound of paper being torn and begrudgingly opened an eye.“What are you doing?”Star had her green notebook open and had pulled a page free.“I’m making a boat.”Star’s fingers worked clumsily, folding the edges of the yellowed paper into a shape that looked vaguely boat-like.“What do you plan on writing in that notebook anyway? Or are you just going to pull all the pages out?”Star sighed. “No. I just have nothing to write in it.”Toffee figured that the book would probably end up being a diary of sorts, after all, Star had never been the most attentive reader and he figured that writing down the days as they passed was probably fun for the princess to look back on.“Besides,” Star continued, “I want this book to be special.”“You’ll find something eventually.”“I guess.” Star didn’t sound convinced.The princess shuffled her way over to the edge of the riverbank and gently placed her paper boat on the water. Toffee watched from his spot beneath the tree as the tiny vessel began to sink. Star cried out and plunged her hands in after it, removing the soggy paper from the rivulet.Star looked dejectedly at the boat and placed it down on the grass beside her to dry out in the sun.Toffee couldn’t help the pity he felt and tried to change the subject.“Why are you so desperate to learn magic all of a sudden?”Star turned her attention away from the ship.“I want to be able to defend myself. I want to stop people from hurting you. I want to be able to make this boat float. I just- I just want to do things for myself.”Star dipped her fingers into the river once again and allowed the cold water to slide over them.“It’s probably best the longer you’re kept away from it, to be honest.” Toffee began. “Magic might have been used to help people, but it’s a double-edged blade.”Star turned to him curiously. “What do you mean.”Toffee had pulled a daisy from the ground and set about plucking its tiny petals, letting them drift down and accumulate on his lap. The lizard didn’t continue speaking until only the yellow pistil remained.“I’m sure that magic can be used to help others but it can also be used to hurt.”“Toffee.” Star felt her heart beat faster. “What are you saying?”“I’m saying that the important thing is not what your mother has already taught you about magic. It’s the stuff she left out.”“And what did she leave out?”“She told you that you are able to cast spells from the Royal Magic Wand, didn’t she?”Star nodded enthusiastically. “Well, she might not have told you that anybody can use the wand.”Star looked genuinely surprised. “But it’s the royal magic wand. Doesn’t that mean that only members of the royal family can use it?”“No. It’s called the ‘Royal Magic Wand’ because it’s passed down through royal lineage. If you put the wand in front of me, I would be just as able to use it as you. I guess it’s always useful that your family owns the Magic Book of Spells too but in truth, I wouldn’t actually need it.”“But how would you be able to use the wand if you didn’t know any spells?”Toffee shrugged. “I’d make them up. That’s what the Book of spells is. It’s just a collection of spells one Queen made up and then passed down to her next of kin who added to it and so on and so on.”Star shook her head in disbelief. “But Glossaryk!”“Glossaryk is just there to explain to you how to perform the pre-existing spells. You wouldn’t need him if you made up your own.”“Wait. How do you know Glossaryk?”Toffee rubbed the back of his neck. “That’s not something we should probably get into right now…”“Well, if I don’t need the Book of Spells, that just means I need to wait until I turn fourteen before I get the wand.”Toffee looked over his shoulder, upon finding them alone, he made eye contact with Star and spoke very cautiously.“Why bother waiting for the wand?”Star gasped. “I can’t just steal it.”“I’m not suggesting that you steal it. You’d never get away with something like that anyway.”“I would.”“You wouldn’t.”Star huffed but drew herself closer to Toffee anyway.“So, if you’re not telling me to steal it, then what are you telling me to do?”“Well,” Toffee began. “You’re a Butterfly.”Star stared back at him vacantly. She was just as confused as before.“Did your mother really not tell you?”Star shook her head ‘no’, to which Toffee muttered angrily under his breath.“Look, Princess, the reason why nobody dares to take magic from the Butterfly family is because they literally can’t. Even if you destroyed both the Magic Wand and Book of Spells, the magic would still exist.”“You’ve lost me.”Toffee took a moment to consider his phrasing.“You were born with the power to control magic. That isn’t something anybody can take from you.”Toffee moved so that he was now facing Star.“It’s called ‘dipping down’. Basically, it’s like summoning all the power you have and manifesting it.”Toffee shifted on the grass and frowned a little in irritation. He was obviously struggling and Star took amusement in the fact that it was probably the first time he’d had trouble explaining something. “What I’m trying to say is that you have the power to cast magic without a wand.”Star’s mirth shifted to amazement instantly.“I can cast spells? Right now?”“Of course.” Toffee allowed the princess her moment of uncontrolled excitement before continuing with a teasing smirk. “If you knew how that is.”Star’s shoulders sank but she turned to Toffee with remnants of hope in her eyes.“Well, you can’t teach me?”Toffee laughed humourlessly. “Princess, I have no idea how magic works.”The heir frowned. “But you know Glossaryk. You could just ask him.”Toffee shook his head and mangled another daisy he'd plucked from the ground.“Glossaryk is not my friend. He’s nobody’s friend.”“He’s Mom’s friend.”“He is your mother’s guide. Nothing more.”Sir Glossaryk of Terms had been a prominent figure in Star’s childhood. She could remember her mother bringing her Book of Spells on a few of her visits and would introduce a young Star to her future teacher and mentor – Glossaryk.Star had placed Glossaryk on the same pedestal as magic. The two of them seemed equally mystical and exciting and unobtainable. However, Toffee’s words seemed to slowly tarnish the image she had so carefully crafted throughout her childhood, leaving the princess conflicted.“If he’s just a guide, then that means he’ll help me, right?”“Look, I’d really love to nip up there and borrow him for a moment but the security has been pretty tight since the Queen last caught me talking to him.”“How long ago was that?” Toffee hummed in thought. “A year and four months, if memory serves.”“And Mom’s still mad about it?”The lizard nodded and then turned his attention to the castle. “She had the Book of Spells locked away in a separate room. See that tower? The one right at the back.”Star craned her head a little to distinguish the exact structure Toffee was pointing at before nodding her head.“The Book of Spells and in turn, Glossaryk, are locked up in there.”Star whistled. “Wow. Mom must have been really upset.”The lizard nodded in agreement. “She definitely was.” Toffee then chuckled, as if recalling a fond memory. “The Queen had me locked up and starved in the castle dungeons for a fortnight.”“She did what?” Star looked at Toffee with pure horror written across her features.“It was unintentional, of course. The guard who was on duty at the time held a grudge against Monsters in general and just happened to lose my food rations.”Upon seeing the Princess’ features frozen in a state of horror, Toffee quickly tried to defuse the situation. “I am immortal, you know? He wasn’t trying to kill me.” The lizard shrugged, seemingly at ease with the whole morbid conversation. “Besides, lucky for me the Queen disagrees with outright violence so there wasn’t much he could really do to hurt me anyway.”“That does not make it okay to deny someone food for a solid two weeks!”Toffee winced and held a hand up in surrender. “Okay. You’re right. It wasn’t fun – just stop shouting. Please. I’m supposed to be enjoying my time off.”“Sorry. “Star began bashfully. “It’s just that, I can’t believe Mewmans would do something so cruel.”Toffee rubbed his forehead. This was way too emotionally taxing for a day he’d intended to spend getting some much-needed rest.“They’re Mewman, I’m a Monster. Tensions were pretty high at the time, so people probably thought I was plotting some kind of rebellion or something.”“Were you?”Toffee merely shrugged and leant back against the tree, his arms folded across his chest and eyes closed against the sun. Star didn’t trust the smile that pulled at his lips.The princess allowed Toffee a few moments of peace where she busied herself by inspecting her paper boat, finding it mostly dry.Star couldn’t make it five minutes before unwanted thoughts plagued her once again.“Toffee.”“Yes, Princess.”“Are you going to tell me what happened between Mewmans and Monsters?”Toffee sighed. “You know I shouldn’t.”“But are you going to anyway?”Toffee opened his yellow eyes to look at Star.“Ignorance is bliss.”“But I can’t take it anymore! If I’m going to run this kingdom one day then you can’t just pretend that it’s history never even happened!”Toffee closed his eyes again and Star turned her attention to the pathetic little boat she held in her hands. It was so fragile and the looming thought that she might rip it compelled her to put it down. Being in charge of something so fragile was a terrifying feeling.“I was five when Mewman travellers arrived on this land.”Star looked up upon hearing Toffee’s voice. She made sure to keep absolutely silent as she scooted over, eager to hear every word.“The Queen was expecting her first child – that’s you by the way – and needed a place to settle down. Upon finding fields and fields of fertile land, she set her sights upon claiming it for herself and her people.Naturally, the Monsters that already lived there weren’t too happy about that and chose to fight back. My people were unprepared for a fight but could not risk losing, so everyone took up arms to defend their home. We put up a good fight. In fact, we were well underway for a win. Nothing glamorous, after all, we’d lost so many friends and family members at this point that it was hardly a victory at all.
The turning point of the war took place at the end of the first week. Mewman soldiers were being pushed back and they were running out of options. That’s where your mother comes in. Queen Moon marched onto the battlefield and obliterated anything in her path. She looked more monster than any of us. Sporting a pair of blue wings, she flew overhead and single-handedly destroyed everything – everyone in her path.”Toffee broke off and sensing his discomfort, Star placed a tentative hand on his arm. The lizard did not acknowledge the gesture but continued anyway.“The battle concluded that day. We had nothing left to lose. The only sensible option we had left was to surrender. It was either that or be imprisoned.
The Mewmans were no more merciful with their demands.They wanted reparations for the Mewman soldiers that had lost their lives. We couldn’t afford it. How could we possibly pay when there were still people in the street who had to bury friends and family with their bare hands because they couldn’t afford a shovel?”Toffee’s voice had gradually risen to a near shout and Star worried that someone would hear them. Still, she made no attempt to get Toffee to quieten down. After all, this was probably the first time he had ever had to recount the story from his perspective.“They also wanted land, which was a given considering that was the whole purpose of fighting was for land anyway.”Star’s fingers tangled in the green grass, clutching to it guiltily. People had died so that she could sit here…“And then there was me.”Toffee turned to look at Star. He tried to smile sadly but it wavered and collapsed.“When the time came to fight, my parents were no different to the others. We weren’t particularly close, actually, I don’t really remember what they looked like. That’s beside the point. They played an active role in attempting to assassinate the King and Queen personally. They also loathed magic. Much like me, they considered it foul play and sought to end it; before it ended them. They didn’t make it.”Star felt her eyes burn with unshed tears and she tried to speak without her voice breaking.“Toffee, I’m so sorry.”Hot tears slid down the princess’ cheeks and dripped onto her blue dress.“I didn’t believe it when I was told that they had been killed. Lizards are supposed to regenerate after all. Turns out there’s a spell that can counteract immortality, who knew?”Toffee laughed bitterly and though Star could see the turmoil across his face, the lizard stubbornly refused to cry for his own cause.“I was a trophy. Living, breathing proof that Monsters had lost and that they were inferior.”Star wiped her years away with the back of her hand. “So, you’re basically a prisoner?”“Kind of. I think the real reason I wound up here while the others didn’t was because the Queen knew that she had to kill me but physically couldn’t. I was a child at the time and perhaps she saw her daughter in me. Either way, I was spared, more or less. I’d be lying if I denied trying to topple the monarchy on numerous occasions. Some of them got surprisingly far before anyone had managed to stop me. Magic was at the route of it all, though. I wanted to destroy magic and level the playing field. That became a lot harder when I realised that if I wanted to eradicate every trace of magic, I would have to kill all of the Butterflys – not just the wand and spell book.Fearing for her daughter’s life, the Queen sent her child away to a secret location so that she would be safe from me and other monsters.”Star wanted to apologise. There were a million things the princess could have said at that moment, though in a split second of recognition, she breathed, “Mewnipendance Day.”Toffee barked a laugh, seemingly trying to disconnect from whatever emotions were swimming around his head.“Is that what they’re calling it now?”All the events synced up. From Mewmans and Monsters fighting for land to the Mewmans eventually being able to drive the monsters out. She had heard a different side of the story in her history class though – one with less mention of bloodshed.“Where are the other Monsters?” Star asked hesitantly. She wasn’t sure how open Toffee was to talking about his own kind, especially since she was the daughter of the woman who lead the attack.“Most of them were exiled when they couldn’t pay reparations. Without a place to call home, they were scattered. A majority of them live in small communities on the edge of the kingdom. Without a leader, they’re lost.”“And are you that leader?”Toffee looked a little daunted at the notion. “No. Definitely not.”“But why? You could make it so that Mewmans and Monsters live in peace – together.”“Princess, ruling the kingdom is supposed to be your job.”“Oh, yeah. I forgot about that.”If taking the throne had seemed daunting to her before, it was downright terrifying now.Star had no idea where to begin. Unifying Monsters and Mewmens was no easy feat. With Monsters still suffering the loss of both their homes and loved ones and Mewmans trying desperately to protect the lives they built for themselves, promoting harmony between the two groups seemed impossible.It certainly was not something on her mother’s agenda, unless Star could change her mind, that is. However, Star seemed to inherit her stubbornness from her mother which left the princess doubtful that sitting down and talking things over would resolve the issue.Toffee picked up the Princess’ boat and set about unfolding the clumsy creases and reconstructing the vessel into something that might actually be able to float atop the stream. Damp patches made the paper difficult to work with and caused it to tear in more area than one. Still, Toffee resiliently stuck at it until he was somewhat satisfied with his handiwork, then passed the boat to Star.The Princess allowed Toffee to delicately place the boat in her hands. Its makeshift sail caught in the wind a little and caused the vessel to thrash about in the palm of Star’s hands. The Princess stared at it intently, not trusting herself to look at Toffee himself.For the first time in her young life Star was suffering.She had been sheltered up until her mother had moved her into the kingdom. There she learnt that sometimes even those you are closest to may feel like strangers, she learnt that injustice does exist and it haunts its victims, most notably though, Star Butterfly learnt that, in the grand scheme of things, she was well and truly useless.She couldn’t help the Monsters or the Mewmans who had both lost friends and relatives so that she could stay safe.Star felt tears slide down her face once again. They scorched her cheeks, yet she didn’t bother wiping them away. Unbridled fury shook her frame as the princess held her eyes shut against the world.
Toffee shouted out to her in desperation and Star whipped her head round to look at him. It took Star a moment to see clearly, her vision blurred by tears. When her sight was restored enough to register what was going on, Star became confused.Toffee was staring at her, eyes wide and mouth agape. His entire body seemed tense and he appeared to debate whether or not to approach her.Star followed his line of sight and looked down at her hands. Bright orange flames danced across her palms and lapped at the edges of the boat. The damp paper offered little resistance and began to curl in on itself as bits of the sail scorched a dark black and fell to either side of the little structure, forming a pile of ash.Star screamed, horrified and flung the tiny ship far away before pushing herself back and away from it. She then looked down at her hands only to find then unchanged, save for remnants of ash that clung to then stubbornly.The princess dipped them into the stream, shivering a little at the change of temperature, then proceeded to dry them on her dress.“You’re not hurt, are you?”Star shook her head. “It just tickled.”Toffee nodded in affirmation, then knelt beside the ruined boat. He gave the paper a poke then recoiled his finger instantly, muttering a string of curses under his breath.He turned to her “It’s wet.”“Why.” Star’s voice broke and she steeled herself before trying again. “Why did that happen?”Toffee’s answer was blunt. “You dipped down.”It seemed like another rude awakening for Star. She had imagined dipping down to be like her mother’s magic, where she could blast cupcakes at people and make their day that little bit better. However, it seemed as though reality had a very dry sense of humour and would much rather crush Star’s hopes by having her destroy something small and delicate instead.“An ordinary fire would not have been able to burn the boat while wet but yours was fuelled by magic.”Star swallowed hard. “And that means it’s unstoppable?”“It’s unstoppable by anyone except you.” Toffee corrected.Star hugged her knees to her chest and looked out over the river. “The first time I use magic and I end up ruining things.”“Well, do something about it. You proved that you’re capable of dipping down, so use it to do something good.” Toffee spoke from behind her.“I can’t!” Star’s fingers found themselves tangled up in her hair again. “What if I do something worse?”“You won’t.” Toffee’s voice sounded so sure and resolute that Star felt half inclined to believe him.Star stood up. Her eyes narrowed and head held high. Toffee watched her intently as she looked out over the horizon. He couldn’t help but notice that he had never seen the princess look so serious. He decided that it didn’t suit her.Star took a large breath, held it for a moment then breathed out through her mouth. “Rainbow Blast!” Star’s voice rang out, loud and clear yet nothing changed.She could hear Toffee’s badly suppressed laughter from behind her and refused to give him the satisfaction of backing down.“Shooting Star Explosion!” She tried again, to no avail.The lizard didn’t even attempt to hide his amusement this time.“Strawberry Annihilation! Stardust Daisy Devastation! Spider With A Top Hat Blast!” Star grew more and more desperate with each failed attempt.“Spider With A Top Hat Blast?” Toffee asked incredulously. “What would a spell like that even do?”Star folded her arms and responded defensively. “I don’t know. I was hoping to find out.”“Maybe try putting a bit more energy into it?” The lizard offered.With nothing left to lose, Star commenced skipping alongside the river, waving her arms to the sky and yelling about whatever came to mind.Toffee busied himself by pulling another page from Star’s notebook and set about working it into a shape. He pressed along the edges, producing crisp and strong folds, which eventually came to form a bird.It didn’t take Star long to exhaust herself, the summer sun was a force to be reckoned with after all.“I don’t get it. Why can’t I do it, Toffee?”Her friend shrugged. “You could try something easier? I mean, I love a Super Strawberry Shake Quake as much as the next guy, but it might be easier to start with something smaller.”“Like what?”Toffee thought for a moment, then grabbed the notebook once again. He discarded the bird by chucking it at Star while he retrieved her pencil.Star marvelled at how intricate Toffee’s bird looked, then feeling suddenly guilty, she set it aside and looked at what Toffee was writing.He had neatly written a series of symbols in the notebook. Star recognised it instantly as Septarian.Toffee hadn’t spoken Septarian since the day they first met and after the less-than-favourable exchange with Queen Moon, Star had never brought it up.Toffee read out the words slowly, letting Star grasp every syllable. The princess mimicked the same sounds as Toffee.The lizard shook his head. “You’ve almost got it. Try putting more emphasis on the second part though.” Star tried once again, letting the foreign words roll off her tongue.Toffee nodded enthusiastically. “That’s it.”“But what exactly is it supposed to do?”“You’ll find out when you manage to do the spell.” Toffee said with a smile.He then picked up the paper bird and lay it in Star’s hands once again.“Try to channel your magic. Instead of letting it disperse about you, feed it into one specific thing.”Star took the hint, focused on the bird in her hands and tried the spell again.Toffee couldn’t help but think that Septarian seemed to blend harmoniously with Butterfly magic as he watched the paper bird twitch. It rocked back and forth a little bit and its wings fluttered. The princess closed her eyes and repeated Toffee’s spell one final time.The bird flapped its wings, hovering a little above Star’s open palms, before taking flight and being propelled by the wind.Star opened her eyes just in time to watch it soar up and above the river before descending and landing on the water. Both the Princess and Toffee watched it float downstream.“It flew,” Star muttered in disbelief before turning to her friend. “Toffee, it flew!”The princess jumped up and down in excitement. Toffee beamed back at her but made no move to get up.Star abruptly dropped to her knees and picked up her notebook, tracing the characters Toffee had inscribed on the first page.“A spellbook.” Star breathed, shutting the front cover and watching the sunlight shine dance over the golden wings on the front.