I touched the hairpin that graced my hair, drawing back to when my mother first told me the story of the pin.
"You know, my love, there's more to the Phoenix's story. Not only did she soar from the ashes, she left something behind. A token of her power and grace. It's said that after her first rebirth, the very first shed a single feather that was no ordinary plume. It gleamed with the same fire she had been reborn from, and from it, a master goldsmith, working under the light of a full moon, forged a delicate hairpin. It wasn't just a beautiful adornment, but it carried with it the essence of the Phoenix's eternal spirit - her power to rise, renew and face any challenge with grace and strength."
My eyes lit up like a dummy. "A hairpin? Really? Who wore it, Mama?"
My mother had a smile, mysteriously, it seemed. "It was passed, worn by queens, warriors, and wise women. The first to wear it was a queen of a forgotten kingdom, known for her wisdom and fierce protection of her people. She wore it as a personal connection to the Phoenix, and it was said that for as long as the pin was in her possession, the kingdom would never fall. And for many years, it didn't."
I had shot straight up in bed, hanging on every word. "But what happened to it?"
"It is said that the hairpin was given to the queen's general on the last day of her life. He had given his life in the service of his queen, and as she had no daughters she deemed this man's daughter worthy to wear the pin."
"It is said, though, that the hairpin's journey was never smooth from her hand forward. Some say it was stolen by a jealous rival. Others believe it was hidden away, waiting for the right person to claim it. The last known owner was an Empress from the East, who cherished it as the heart of her empire. She wore it in her dark flowing hair."
I gently ran my hand through my hair, feeling the weight of the pin securing my dark, flowing locks. Its metal emitted a faint warmth, as if recalling memories just like I was. It nudged me forward, reminding me of its purpose, reserved only for those possessing three essential traits.
Courage to embrace change, unshakeable resilience and grace in adversity.
I faced the figures, unable to see that the pin had already rearranged itself upon my head. The first and last tines of the comb encircled my head as though nesting there comfortably.