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

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

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

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

The minute that it takes for Astrid to sprint through the long corridors to her room is the longest minute of her life. Time passes like in a nightmare where your mind moves so much faster than your body is able to.She sees nothing on the way, she pushes anything and anyone out of her way until she reaches the doors. There, she freezes, with her hand on the handle.What will she see if she opens it? Is it hell on the others side? As scared as she is now... a moment more of incertitude may feel better than whatever waits for her.She takes a deep breath and bursts into the room."Erik?" She rushes to the crib only to see her baby crying, startled by his mother's scream. "Oh, my baby. Hush. I am sorry!"She picks him up with shaking hands. The maids are looking at her surprised and the guards that she didn't even notice at the door are packing inside to make sure everything is fine."Lady Astrid? What happened?" Esmee asks concerned."A guard came when I was with Loras... He said that