Under The Night's Aegis
Chapter 05 - S1
Astrid closed her eyes as she listens to her mother's singing;
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.
You make me happy when skies are grey,
You never know how much I love you,
Please don't take my sunshine away..."
Her mother gave her a peck on her forehead as she continues singing. It was a lullaby her mother always sings to her whenever she had a bad dream.
"I'll always love you, and make you happy,
And nothing else could come between,
But if you leave me to love another,
You have shuttered all of my dream.
You are my sunshine."
Astrid felt warm. Having her mother by her side, singing her lullaby and sleeping beside her was one of her favorite. If she would choose one person to be with for the rest of her life, that would be her mother.
For Astrid, no one can give her the warmth her mother does.
Astrid lay her head on her mother's lap, listening as her mother sang to her, trying to get her to sleep. But when she opened her eyes, she found herself in a nightmare. She saw her mother's body before her eyes, and instead of her mother's soothing voice, she heard her own screams, Astrid's scream. She struggled to shake her mother awake, but with every move, her mother's head only nodded aggressively yet lazily as if in agreement. In a desperate attempt to wake her mother, Astrid cried out her name, but it only sank deeper into her own fears.
Astrid awoke as the sunlight kissed her face, the warmth slowly coaxing her from her slumber. A solitary tear escaped from her closed lids as she opened her eyes to face her new reality.
Her eyes fully opened when she felt a finger wiping that lone tear that escaped. Astrid slowly turns her head to see Kaiser staring at her with worry written over his face.
She felt extremely exhausted even after just waking up.
Despite it, he gave her soft smile as she turned to see him. "How are you feeling?" He asked.
Astrid only nodded, indicating she's feeling well now even though she's not. She slowly made herself seat on the bed, Kaiser on the other hand helped her as gently as he could.
"I want to... take a bath."
"I'll go ask the maids to prepare bath, you rest here. Would you like to have a warm soup before taking a bath?"
"Yes, please."
When Astrid heard the door's thud. She went back to lay her back on the bed, thinking of what had happened yesterday. Right, she fainted.
She face palm before brushing her hair. 'I have to go back to the emperial palace soon.'
When Astrid stood up to sit on the bed once again, wanting to take a walk and see the scenery outside her balcony, the door swung opened revealing Kaiser and the maids on his back with preparations for her bath.
Kaiser walked towards her with a tray in his hands. He sat beside the woman and started feeding her. Astrid let him as she finds no strength to even lift a finger anymore.
She watched the maidservants red faces fix her bath. Whenever one of them looked at her, she gave them a forced sweet smile. Though, the maids would return it with an awkward smile on their face. That went on until the bath was ready.
Astrid shot a glare at Kaiser when he's not showing signs of leaving the room. Kaiser read the room and left her alone but before that he spoke.
"I'm right outside the door, call me when you need me."
Astrid took a moment to breathe, releasing a long sigh as she stripped off her clothes and submerged herself in the warm water of the bath. Her body felt a bit relaxation from the warm water that enveloped her body. Slowly, she began to wipe her body with a soft cotton towel, savoring the soothing sensation.
Yet again, instead of feeling relaxed she felt quite difficult thinking about the arrow once again. She stopped wiping her body and she leaned back against the tub as closes her eyes.
Astrid's mind was a mess! Torn between going back to the emperial palace or staying here in Aurothoria, telling her brothers' or not. It was like there was a battle going on in her mind.
She curled herself and brushing her hair and having it stay on her head. There was so much for her to take in and consider, and think of.
'What the hell should I do?!'
Astrid flinched as she heard a knock on the door. Her faced turned on the closed door before standing up, putting her robe on. She walked towards the door, opening it, only showing her head.
"Are you done? I apologize, I didn't have the maids help you bath. I thought you need some time alone."
"Dear Sir Kaiser, I can bath myself. Aside from that, I am already do-"
"I shall call the maids to help you get dress, princess Astrid. Do stay there for a bit, and wait as I call them."
When Astrid was about to open her mouth to refuse and say that she can get ready herself, Kaiser already turned his back on her and walked away.
Astrid rolled her eyes before closing the door once again. There was a familiar aching feeling in her heart, which she couldn't understand.
Whenever that man walks away from her, she felt as if being left once again. Loneliness, it always crept in her body as she watch him walk away. It was confusing for her, no, it was not confusing, rather she felt difficult feeling that way for a man she always selfishly expected to be beside her.
Her mind told her that she shouldn't allow herself to feel this way, but her heart say otherwise. Struggling, Astrid found herself squatting on the floor and covering her face with her palms until she heard a knock once again, knocking sense on her.
She quickly stood up and fixed her posture before opening the door and giving the maids a bright smile. The maids returned it and went inside her room, starting to dress the princess up. They gave her a beautiful yellow dress.
"Shall we head out? Do you mind on taking me on a tour at the village of Aurothoria?" the princess asked, wanting to leave the castle and get some fresh air.
The maids looked at her with worried eyes, not wanting the princess to go out to the village but rest inside the castle.
You see, whenever Astrid has these kinds of nightmares, instead of appearing devastated, unsafe and scared as she do, she often opted to put on a warm expression to mask her emotions and prevent others from worrying about her.
"Your highness, don't you think that you should rest rather than going out to the village? We fear that you might faint again, your highness."
"Oh Ava, I have rest enough! And I'll be restless if I stay here too much. Besides, I'll have my chaperone with me and you to accompany me. Please, tour me around the village!"
"But... Your highness, our lor-"
"I'll deal with Kaiser, Ava! Get the carriage ready and let us enjoy a walk and a tour on the village! Don't you think it's important for me too? I'll be the lady of this castle soon."
The brunette haired maid was flustered hearing that the princess intend to be the lady of the castle. The maids looked at each other with determined faces to have the princess like the village too.
Soon, they left the castle, with Kaiser's permission and having Yves and Cadmus as their escort.
The princess scanned the whole place, thinking of where she should go first. It was quite a sight to the assertive princess, and her mouth waters seeing all the foods she's seeing.
She turned to look at Samuel for permission, yet Samuel only sighed knowing well that even if he says no, she'll still do whatever she wants. Nodding his head, Astrid held into Ava's arm and pulling her with her.
"Ava, come! Let us get a snack over there for us to have energy. I'd like to look around all day in the village!"
Cadmis and Samuel's eye twitched as they heard what Astrid said, while Yves and the other maids who came with the princess sweat dropped knowing well of how tired they will be.
The princess seem to be energetic despite the fact that for some reason, she fainted yesterday. Astrid's attendants grew worried that the princess might be pushing herself.
"Your highness, you just took your meal in the castle. Furthermore, we don't know if these foods will harm her highness' health. We shall inspect the food first as to not affect your health, your highness." Ava had said.
"You have nothing to worry about that, dearest Ava. Her highness had tasted foods on the streets as she grew up, despite being told many times not to, due to her stubbornness."
Cadmus answered, giving the maiden a smirk.
"But I still advise you to not let her eat tho-" Astrid rolled her eyes before cutting off Samuel, who she knows will nag her once again.
"You have heard him, I will be fine, Ava! Let us go eat, and not mind those Sirs."
The maids went with Astrid as she bought them food. Astrid heartily munching her snack as she walk around the village with her companions until she saw something.
The princess' eyes sparkled as she saw a shiny rune on one stall. It was a beautiful emerald green rune, it reminded her of Kaiser's green eyes. She walked towards the stall and took the rune before facing the owner of the stall.
"How much is this, Sir? I'd like to take this emerald green rune you have."
"Two half-penny bronze, young lady! That's a nice color you picked!"
The princess' smiled at the man. "It is."
Astrid tied it on the belt of her dress. She turned around, expecting to hear Samuel's nagging but to her surprise, no one, she saw no one from her companions who had followed her. Astrid's eyes twitched as she figured out that she's lost.
Astrid closed her eyes, trying to remember the path they took earlier. But much to her dismay, she had already forgotten the path they took earlier. She let out a heavy sigh.
'Should I stay here? Or move? Damn it, I'm lost!'
Astrid was about to move her feet when someone held her elbow. She was quick to react, she touched the man's arm but when she he heard his voice, she stopped her movement.
"Astrid."
Astrid turned to look at the person, only to see her fiancé, Kaiser Exequiel, looking at her with soft, gentle and worried eyes. Kaiser let go of her hand and elbow before snaking his arms on her waist.
"Where are the others? Why are you all alone? You do know that it's dangerous for you to be alone outside right?"
Astrid didn't say anything. She just looked at the knight, trying to read his face. She wanted to know what's his reason for being here when he clearly said that he has work to do.
"I think... I'm lost..."
Kaiser chuckled. "Are you? You stubborn little princess! You didn't stay close to them and wandered off again did you?"
Astrid shot him a glare. "I can find my way home, Kaiser! I'm not that bad at directions or I can just find them. It'll be easy to find them when Cadmus is literally like a bear of how big he is!"
"What did you buy then?"
"A rune and a snack. I want to check more stalls, specially taverns. I have to find them soon."
"You do not need to."
Astrid showed a confused face. She felt the arm around her waist tightened.
"What?"
"I'll be with you."