When she opens her eyes later in the day, the first thought on her mind it's that it became fucking ridiculous how often she just loses consciousness. Like... once a week she opens her eyes in a totally new place than where she closed them. If her life was a book, every other chapter would start with her coming back from a blackout.The second thought pulls her into a more serious subject. Her brother.She looks around, realizing that she is in her room, so the kidnap/rescue plan failed. But how? And what happened to her brother?"Esmee?" Astrid asks, trying to get up, but her head is spinning like crazy."Lady Astrid? Are you awake?" Esmee comes rushing in. "You gave me such a scare...""What happened?" Astrid asks before pointing to her dress; signaling Esmee to help her get dressed."I heard you screaming inside... I was so scared, but you ordered me that I shouldn’t enter under no circumstance. I wasn't sure what to do so I ran to the guards. The king was coming to you anyway and
The next few days were like walking on the edge of a dagger. No one said anything argumentative, everyone was waiting to see how things would develop. Astrid started to go on walks with Ben and he didn't seem to mind the guards that were ordered to watch them, but he avoided talking about anything important. Instead, they reconnected, shared memories about their family, and just exchanged pleasantries. It felt good to talk with her brother, but the distance between them was evident. Life pulled them apart and no matter how hard they try to ignore it, they are now strangers to one another."Mars would always complain that you take my side. Even though he was the youngest." Astrid remembers her most annoying brother fondly. Death has the power of erasing sins from the memory."When I grew up, I was expected to be the one that they all leaned on. Teach them, protect them. Because, you know, I was the oldest. But I would look at them and think... I was their age too and no one protected m
A few months pass by unbelievably quietly.It was like the harem had entered a dormant state where no drama happens. Up until tonight. Astrid had barely fallen asleep after tossing and turning for hours. This baby better be coming soon. A while ago everyone was scared that it was too early and now it's two weeks pass the due date and he is still sitting comfortably, while her insides are all pushed into a corner."My child is giving his mother a hard time?" Loras ask as soon as he sees her appear in the world between their souls."Everyone assumes this child will be a boy. What shall we do if it's a little girl? I, for one, will be much happier. Showing that weird wizard wrong.""He's an astrologist, Astrid.""He's a scam. After all, he has half-half chances of guessing and he gets a ton of money either way."It's been months and she still can't forget that old frog."If it will make you feel any better, for our next children, we will not ask him the gender. It will be a surprise." L
When Astrid opens her eyes her mind flies to the irony she found a while ago. She really is fainting a lot. When she was young, she can't remember to ever do that.She finds herself in the space in between souls and she is happy to see that at least she is not dead. Not yet. Remembering the last things before waking up here, she starts to panic."The baby..." She whispers to herself pacing around the empty space. "Come on, Astrid! Wake up! Wake up!"She tries to slap herself, but she doesn't feel anything. Her soul is not built of anything material. Time passes differently here, like the hours are minutes so the longer she stays, the more worried she gets.That's why she is so relieved when she sees Loras appearing in front of her."Astrid! You need to wake up!" He says like she can just snap back to the reality."The baby. What happed? Why are you here?" She bombs him with questions as she realizes that his being here means that he is asleep in the real world. Loras wouldn't have fal
"He looks like an old man. Bald and without teeth." Ben comments as Erik grabs his finger with his little hand."How can you say that? Look how chubby he looks. Like a dumpling." Astrid protests. Her baby really is chubby. All babies are, but hers is special, hers is perfect, simply the best."A fat old man, then." Ben continues to taunt his little sister."I will tell him his uncle said that when he will be older. He will order your execution!""Heard that, little Erik? Your mother is a tyrant!""How is it going with the legislation?" Astrid asks, feeling the need to change the subject. She loves spending time with Erik and the attention and love he receives from others, but talking about the baby all the time makes her go crazy sometimes. Loras isn't saying a word about the legislation as he knows she would want to get involved and get stressed out over it as she always does. It's been two weeks since she gave birth and the medic was clear about the do’s and don't’s. Mostly about th
Dressed in a beautiful golden dress, with black accents and radiating diamond jewelry, Astrid feels like someone else. A stranger took over her body and is now sitting on a high throne, looking down at the lords who bow their heads. To be fair, they don't look at her, they look at the little baby that can't even hold his head up yet.They came from all around the kingdom to present themselves in front of the new prince. Tradition asked for him to be placed, alone, in a golden cradle, but the king insisted for her to be there. The lords are not happy, it can be read all over their faces, but who dares to question the king's orders?They bring him lavish gifts. An absurd competition of whom can flaunt their wealth better. From afar, Ben looks amused at the charade."A thousand horses from Lord Connarand!" A guard shouts, reading the card as a fat old man takes a bow in front of the newborn. It will be years before he can ride one. Most of them will be too old by then so Astrid can't hel
"It took you long enough..." Astrid comments when Loras comes back to the room. Two weeks after the baby was born, he had to start spending the nights with the milkmaid, as Astrid's wasn't enough. It took a while to get used to the idea, but seeing Erik grow faster and happier reassured her, and the fact that she got to sleep with Loras again helped."It was something that needed to be addressed." He answers with a long sigh, throwing himself on the bed."I do hope you weren't too harsh on her... Her feelings are valid and...""I am not an idiot, Astrid. I know her feelings are valid. Omar's too and if this would be a normal situation I would like to be more patient with this. But those types of things left unresolved can turn into wars of succession, into a bloodbath. You saw what happen with Tommen. And we got along when we were young. Can you imagine if we didn't? This would have started before my father would have even been dead. It would have thrown the kingdom in chaos. So, no.
The passionate night is unfortunately followed by more meetings for Astrid and the baby as new lords arrive from further away regions of the kingdom. By the afternoon, all the ones that have any titles have arrived to bow in front of the new prince.There are even some foreign envoys present now. Dark-skinned men from the Sultanate of Sinistra and squinted-eyed ones from the Kingdom of Tasaria. They are all very polite despite some having to speak through a translator. Astrid finds the language of the Sultanate of Sinistra's people particularly interesting and melodic, even more so when one of their diplomats recites a song with the help of a peculiar stringed instrument in honor of the newly born prince. The Tasarians, on the other hand, are rather quiet and stern, preferring to place numerous gifts at the feet of the baby instead. Jade-made toy soldiers, a blanket made of immaculate white which, if she wouldn't have known better, Astrid could swear was woven from actual snow. More n