The very first sight Astra had ever seen was of the starry skies. He reached out to them with his tiny newborn hands, and though he could not understand yet, nor comprehend why his heart pounded with such wonder, he felt a yearning to see them: to form a bond crossed in starlight, regardless of the vast space between. Thus was a wish sent to the cosmos. One day, he too would shine just as bright.

  Although the boy’s dreams were grand, his origins were anything but. He was born the first to a humble family of farmers. His mother was a vigorous lady with red curly locks and muscles that could snap a man’s neck in half, while his father was of gentler appearance: a soft smile, long brown hair, and of course muscles that could snap a man’s neck in half.

  It was on this day that the couple were surprised by their child’s early, and rather abrupt, desire to greet the world with his puny little noggin; but with scarce money to enroll in a high-class clinic run by the healers of Virgo, they were forced to make do in a nearby barnyard, where the only midwife was an elderly grandmother and the roof had long collapsed from wear. So it was that the boy would emerge headfirst, kicking and screaming, whilst surrounded by bundles of hay.

  His cries would soon fall to a hush however, for those dazzling lights of blue, and purple, and white high above had utterly spellbound him. The midwife handed over the boy to his mother, and she held him close tenderly whilst planting a soft kiss on his forehead. “My child, my beautiful, precious child…” she whispered to him. “Why the hell did ya have to be such a pain in the butt? My butt, specifically.”

  “Honey!” The child’s father laughed and nudged his face against his beloved’s. “Really, those are the first words you want our boy to hear?”

  “There’s a whole lot more I wanna say, darling.” The mother took a good look at her dear son, and then she shook her head: lovingly, albeit a bit annoyed. “All these months tumbling around in my womb, only for the little rascal to resemble his father the most.”

  “And that’s bad, somehow…?”

  The mother let out a grumpy ‘Hmph!’ and turned away in mock irritation. “Cause he’ll become a playboy in the future with those kinda looks. I can see it in his cute round eyes… oh wait, he has my eyes! Look at that shiny green — nice, this is my win.”

  The father raised his brow and then captured the mother and son duo in a wide, burly hug. “Now hold on there! I see some brown sprouting from that handsome little head. Probably’s going to inherit his old man’s luscious locks; the tide’s in my favor, honey.”

  The mother deliberated, tossing and turning while keeping her child perfectly still, before rolling into her husband’s chest. She peeked up from below his chin and looked him hard in the eye. “Oh, fine… then I guess we’ll have to settle this as a tie.”

  The father smiled and caressed her cheek. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  “Aw, c’mere you! If you’re gonna act all romantic, ya better finish the job.”

  The two shared a deep kiss that would make even a newly-wed couple blush in embarrassment, and they would have likely remained passionately in each other’s arms if not for the young babe a few spots away. The child let out a loud gurgle that surprised his parents and waved his stubby hands out in an attempt to grasp those twinkling stars up high.

  “What do ya think’s going on in that head of his?” the mother said, laughing and poking his cheek.

  “I’m guessing not much, but at least he seems happy.”

  “Quiet, too. My papa told me I screamed like I was tryin’ to wake the dead when I came flinging out of poor ol’ mama. Not that I’m complaining…”

  The mother snuggled her baby boy, much to his annoyance, and let out a relieved sigh. “Thank the Constellations you’re healthy, my little stardew.”

  “Stardew?”

  “Yep! I just came up with it. Don’t you think it’s a nice nickname?”

  “We should probably decide on an actual name first, honey.”

  “I did! Or, well, I thought I did. Spent far too much time jotting down the ones I liked in my journal… but now, seeing him up close, I don’t think any of them will fit.”

  “Do you want me to choose, then?”

  The mother bid him a sly grin. “Only if it’s good.”

  The child’s father examined the boy for a moment. He saw how his eyes sparkled whilst looking at the sky and how he beamed with pure delight, with an innocence that could part even the darkest of nights. It was then that a name came to the man as if whispered from the lips of the nebula itself. Yes, for this babe showered in starlight, there was only one choice.

  “Astra. I think… Astra would be a good name. Endless in potential. Free to become who he wishes. Like the stars in those far off heavens, I wish for our child to shine bright.”

  The mother smiled. “I like it. I really do.”

  She smooched the top of Astra’s head and cuddled him close. “Nice to meet ya, Astra. I’m Edith, your proud mama. And this here’s Papa Henry. We may not have much, but what we do have is a whole lotta love. So… I promise, no matter where you go or how much ya try to get away from us, we’ll always be right here. Home will always be right here.”

  Papa Henry chuckled and scooped his wife up into his arms. “Speaking of home, I reckon a nice soft bed will be much better than all this hay.”

  “You reckon correct. Let’s go! I can’t wait to show Astra the nursery.”

  Little Astra reached out and tugged at his mother’s hair, babbling in the ways only infants could understand, as the three exited the barn and out into the humble countryside. Mama Edith didn’t mind his rough housing. She merely enjoyed listening to the sound of his voice — the sound of her darling baby boy.

  “Welcome to our family, Astra,” she said. “And thank you for being born.”

  Thus did the couple of two become a family of three. Edith and Henry were delighted to welcome little Astra into their abode. It wasn’t much compared to the glittering buildings of the royal capital, but the countryside had its own charms. Here, there was land as far as the eye could see: bright yellow fields of kvela melons, rushing brooks full of local pikefish, and during nightfall one could also spot a flight of lantern bugs fluttering by.

  It was in the midst of this vast haven of nature that a small red farmhouse sat atop a hill. The old wood held stubbornly firm despite housing generations after generations of Papa Henry’s relatives, and so it was that it would welcome yet another as the family stepped inside, their smiles brighter than even the glowing green bugs outside.

  Slowly but gently, the day came to a quiet end. The couple hoped this peace would last forever. Unfortunately for them, raising a child was much more difficult than they expected.

  No longer did they need the rooster’s cry to wake them at dawn, for little Astra’s screams were plenty sobering enough. The poor bird lost its job from that day forward. So powerful was the child’s cries that the family’s cattle of chocobulls would rush out of the nearby barn and plant their horns into the dirt. Such comfort was not allowed for the sleep-deprived couple, and the next few weeks passed with them seeking advice from the local community.

  Grandpa Hank from mama’s side suggested smoking some billow weeds to use as incense, while Grandma Belle from the farm over yonder said to discipline Astra with a good smack to the tush: “Ya gotta condition ‘em young, girl! Put the fear of the Constellations in him now before he gets all rebellious and disobedient." Needless to say, the couple didn’t ask Grandma Belle for any more advice from then on.

  Eventually, they finally managed to coax Astra into sleeping later into the day. But when one problem was solved, another would inevitably rear its head. Or lack thereof, to be more precise, for it was at the tender age of six months that Astra had figured out how to escape his room. Poor Mama Edith nearly fainted right then and there after discovering the empty crib. Papa Henry scoured the entire house in a mad panic, only to eventually discover his baby boy, somehow, babbling happily on top of the house’s roof.

  “How the heck is that even possible!?” Edith gasped. “Henry, oh goshdarnit—Henry! I think he’s crawling toward the chimney!”

  “Haha, isn’t our boy lively? No doubt he’ll grow up stronger than his old man.”

  “Henry this isn’t the time to laugh OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS, HE’S ABOUT TO FALL!”

  Little Astra giggled and waved his stubby arms out, only to then stammer, confused, after tipping over the side and rolling down the roof like a sack of tater tots.

  Edith and Henry sprung to action, running over and linking their arms together before calling out to the heavens in plea. Faint symbols manifested onto different parts of their bodies. For Mama Edith, the goat of Capricorn peeked from just below her nape, while the bull of Taurus flaunted boldly on Papa Henry’s shoulder.

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  “Launch me up, honey!” Edith shouted.

  With a grunt, Henry lifted his wife and threw her toward the falling Astra. Edith caught her boy and hugged him tight as she landed on the wall, clinging to it with only the balance of her heel to keep her steady.

  “Oof, now that took the breath outta me…” Edith said, wheezing from the strain of her crest. “Don’t scare your mama like that again, my little stardew. I ain’t gettin’ any younger.”

  She dropped back to solid ground and sighed, the crest of Capricorn fading away along with her worry. Papa Henry joined her soon after, and the two shared a tender laugh, their darling boy unaware of the chaos he caused.

  As it turned out, Astra’s little escape was but the first of many. Nothing could contain his curiosity. Though, his parents certainly tried. They locked the door, covered the windows, and even had Papa Henry’s younger sister, Anna, babysit him while they tilled the farm. None of it worked, and poor ol’ Anna would come to them sobbing every night with her cheeks stained in tears; and she begged to quit, utterly exhausted, after having lost Astra when the little scamp somehow scooted off the moment she glanced away. Mama Edith merely patted her shoulder then and gave the girl a knowing smile.

  “Oh honey…” she said. “Good luck. You’re gonna need it.” And Anna despaired, for she knew her fate had been set.

  Day after day, month after month, little Astra’s shenanigans only grew as he aged. The boy rode atop ol’ Betsy, the chocobulls’ leader, into a rootin’ tootin’ stampede on the morning of his first birthday. Poor Papa Henry was nearly trampled to death trying to reign the family’s herd back. On Astra’s second birthday, he somehow found himself snatched up by a passing cuckoocrow after being mistaken for one of its flock. Mama Edith had to climb the Foggy Mountains all the way up to the bird’s nest, enduring bitter cold and white-hot seething rage in the way only a mother could in the protection of her child.

  Yet despite the bizarre situations Astra found himself in, he would always emerge right as rain in the end, leaving any observers baffled by his innate adventuring drive.

  As the seasons passed, Astra turned five years old, and he no longer needed to be rescued by his parents. They still worried over him, of course, and Mama Edith couldn’t help but coddle her darling boy who always seemed to find himself in trouble; yet deep in their hearts they knew his curiosity would never be sated all holed up at their farm. So, they gave him permission to explore as he pleased… as long as he followed certain rules.

  First, he had to help with morning duties around the farm. It was then that Astra learned responsibility, as well as the knowledge he needed to till the earth, harvest the crops, and to take care of the family’s animals. Papa Henry guided the boy slowly each step of the way, making sure Astra not only understood the importance of a good day’s work but also the fun and fulfillment that came with it. By the noon’s peak the two would be covered in dirt, sweaty, but also full of smiles. Astra loved pulling the kvela melons out himself and taking a bite out of the bright blue fruit inside.

  Second, the rooster’s last cry was to signal his curfew. If Astra wasn’t back by then, he’d find his mother, her arms crossed, with a sandal held dangerously up high. The lands around their farmstead were relatively safe, but it was important for Astra to double-check with Papa Henry first should he ever venture beyond their borders.

  The north was a flat prairie filled with all sorts of beasts and critters; and while most were docile when unbothered, you never wanted to test your luck, especially when the animals were frightened or in a foul mood. Astra had pledged never to interfere with matters relating to the natural food chain. He would then break this pledge a week later after saving a burrow of hamsters from a fearsome hound called the death knell. After the battle, the two became friends, and Astra would regularly visit his new furry companion from time to time.

  The little boy would venture off toward all kinds of exciting places. He played in the vast, overgrown jungles of the west, where he’d climb trees that reached up all the way to the sky and swung around on their vines. He splashed joyfully in the brooks and streams, one time accidentally being swept away to a giant waterfall and plummeting straight into a surprised school of snapping turtles, only to emerge soaked, and safe, while carrying a handful of new friends. Astra made a lot of friends out in the wilds. From birds, to beasts, to critters that would make Mama Edith faint out of fright, he loved them with all his heart; and so too did they, in their own way. Biting was also a sign of affection.

  But it was on the morning of his eighth birthday that Astra would learn his greatest lesson of all, one that would remain with him for the rest of his life.

  He woke up as he always did with a great big yawn and hauled himself out of bed to prepare the feed for the chocobulls. On the way, he found his father loading up the carriage with all kinds of fruits and vegetables.

  “What’re ya doing, paw?” Astra asked him, running up to his waist and giving him a big hug. Papa Henry laughed and ruffled his hair.

  “I was thinking of giving ol’ Grandma Belle a visit to see how she’s doing, and it’d be mighty rude to turn up empty handed. So I’ve loaded up some of our plumpest and juiciest here.”

  Astra wrinkled his nose. “Do ya have to? Grandma Belle is really mean. She always pushes me away when I try to hug her, and—and this one time? She even pulled my ear! It hurt a lot.”

  “Oh, stardew… you did burn her kitchen down.”

  The boy innocently looked away and whistled. “Um, I said sorry! But still she’s always rude to you, paw. She scowls, and calls you names, and acts grouchier than even the roosters when they’re hungry, so why do you check on her so much?”

  Papa Henry stayed quiet for a moment, thoughtfully pondering over the best way to explain himself to Astra, before picking him up and plopping him down on the carriage’s seat.

  “I think it’d be easier if I showed you. Wanna take a quick field trip outside the farm?”

  Astra nodded and joined Papa Henry on a slow cruise through the countryside as Betsy pulled their carriage. Eventually, they arrived a tiny cabin way out in the boonies, and the two boys joyfully hopped out as they were greeted by the glower of an elderly lady, who despite her age still had muscles that could snap a man’s neck in half.

  “Oh Stars’ almighty… what’re ya twerps doin’ showing up this darn early?” Grandma Belle grumbled. Since as long as Astra could remember, the grouchy woman had a hunched back and fierce beady eyes. It was a bit scary sometimes. Papa Henry never seemed to be bothered by it though, and even now he wore a bright toothy grin.

  “Sorry fer botherin’ ya, Belle. Just figured you’d appreciate some extra melons,” he said, turning the cart around and swiftly unpacking load after load of heavy crates. Astra jumped at the chance to help out, lifting three to four at a time. “Harvest was good this season, and nothing makes a meal tastier than sharing it with family.”

  “Bah, don’t give me that nonsense. Yer just tryin’ to toss away the scraps—I see through your tricks, mister! I may be old but that doesn’t mean I’ll just let you young’uns push a lady around.”

  Despite her harsh words though, Grandma Belle dragged her feet toward the cabin’s door and opened it, before lazily waving for the two boys to follow after. Papa Henry and Astra obliged, bringing their prized produce along with them.

  A blast of warm air immediately rushed into Astra’s face as he hopped inside. Everything looked just like it did a year ago, with smooth wood flooring and a crackling fireplace kept right beside a big kitchen filled with pots and pans and all sorts of weird cooking utensils even Mama Edith didn’t know the names of.

  “Well? Don’t just stand there,” Grandma Belle said, shuffling around and setting up the table for breakfast Astra didn’t even know he was having. “Get those melons sorted already and sit yer butts down.”

  Papa Henry laughed and piled all the fruits near the back. “Aw, ya didn’t have to, Belle. Wouldn’t want to impose if yer busy.”

  “Hmph. I’m nearin’ sixty, boy. Just what could a crone like me possibly be busy with? All these aching bones want is to take a nap all day, but a certain pair seems stubborn with bein’ busybodies.”

  Grandma Belle shook her head as she prepared a hearty stew, alongside some steamed pikefish and sliced pickled mustard root: all of Astra’s favorite foods.

  “Sleep’s good and all, Belle, but you know us folks’re worried that you’re pushin’ yourself too hard, living in this here field all by yourself,” Henry said. “Your daughter’s worried. Why don’t ya move in with her at the capital already? Caroline’s always complainin’ that her kids can’t see their grandmother.”

  The mention of a certain name sent Grandma Belle into a right fury, her face turning red just like a burstberry about to… well, burst.

  “Bah, why should I care what that girl says?” she said, slamming a big bowl of stew in front of Astra. “First she abandons her ailing mother just to prance off and study with those city slickers, and now she wants me to abandon our home? The home I raised her, fed her, built with my own two hands? That runt wouldn’t know the meaning of gratitude even if ya were to beat her with it. I’m not ever leaving, period.”

  Grandma Belle took a deep sigh. She wandered over to the fireplace and touched a spot above it, where two initials were carved and surrounded by a heart.

  “She wasn’t even here the day her papa died. Can ya imagine it? Even on his deathbed, ol’ Johnny kept cryin’ her name. Where’s my girl? Where’s my lovely girl? He’d say that all night long, but she ain’t come ‘til the funeral was already over. My poor hubby never got the chance to see his grandkids.”

  “Oh, Belle…” Papa Henry stood up and helped the old woman take a seat.

  It was a strange sight to Astra, for whenever he saw Grandma Belle before she always seemed to have a fierce and strong will, the kind of can-do attitude that would make even the scariest of beasts whimper out of fright, but now all that bluster was gone. Her wrinkles sagged deeper and her thin, spindly hair drooped, each strand even grayer than he remembered. Astra realized then just how much she had aged over the years.

  He was too young to get to know Grandpa Johnny before the man died. Even so, the boy felt a deep pang in his chest, a sorrow that resonated with the tears Grandma Belle now shed quietly by the fire. And so it was that Astra learned the lesson called empathy.

  Before he knew it, Astra took off from his little two feet and jumped to give Grandma Belle a big ol’ embrace. He hugged her tight and shared in her pain. He grieved just as she did and wept for the man he never knew; and surprised though the woman was, she didn’t push him away, and the two cried their hearts out until all the sadness slowly faded to the starry skies above.

  “Astra, little scamp! My dress’s all soaked now,” Grandma Belle said, wiping Astra’s snot-covered face. “What’s gotten into you, boy? Wasn’t long ago you’d squirm away if I ever got near ya.”

  “Well, um, you were sad, Grandma Belle,” Astra replied, his voice still a bit shaky. “Even if I’m a little scared of you sometimes, I don’t want you to be sad. But Papa says everyone feels it from time to time. If we can’t stop it, then the next best thing is to share it and make its weight a little lighter.”

  For all his mischief, there were times when Astra was afraid. At night he’d see shadows twisting in the darkness of his bed, strange shapes and figures contorting into monsters his imagination only made scarier, and when that happened he’d rush into papa’s and momma’s room, where he’d buried himself deep in their arms and dose away comforted by their warmth.

  But Grandma Belle didn’t have anyone in this old house of hers who could do that for her. Astra thought it must be hard being alone all the time, so right now, while he was still here, he’d give her enough love to last until his next visit. And much more.

  “Well… you might be rowdy sometimes, but yer a good kid at heart, Astra.” Grandma Belle leaned back in her chair and was silent for a moment. She stared long and hard at the ceiling and back to the fireplace, to the letters engraved with her beloved’s heart. “Oh, Johnny. What’s an old gal to do? I thought I’d do alright without you around anymore, but it turns out I missed having some company.”

  Grandma Belle gently stood up and then ruffled Astra’s hair with a big, bright laugh. “Thank you, my boy. You made this bitter crone a little less lonely.”

  Her words stoked a fire in Astra’s heart, a new resolution of the man he’d wished to become. For there was no greater beauty to him than seeing those he loved with a smile.