Lullaby's Tale ~ Listen to the Reign.

An Old Friend's Tale

Gathering books and scrolls they sat down in the armchairs and began to read as Midnight and Sirius stayed curled by their feet. Late into the afternoon a small maid pushes in a trolley. Barely regerasting that she even entered the maid rang a small bell to catch their attention only leaving when they look up from the mountains of books. Astra being the first to move she opened the plates of food to reveal roast beef dripping with juice and gravy, fluffy mashed potatoes lathered with the gravy along side green beans covered in spice. The smell wafted through the room making mouths water.

Digging in the silverware clinking on the plate with every shovel of food. Eating quickly so they continue gathering information for the coming battle. Looking up as if realizing something she set down her fork.

"Astra? how will we change galaxies?"

"I didn't think of that, should we ask Apollo?" He looked up from his plate, food still in his mouth.

"Does he even know?"

"How to get there or about all this?"

"Both"

With a frustrated sigh she set down her fork again and stood up. "I'm going to ask" Just as she made it to the door it opened and Apollo entered with a tray of left over cake. Smiling his usual smile of mystery he set down the tray.

"I had a feeling now would be a good time to enter" Placing himself in an armchair beside Atlas while Astra stood by the door in amazement. Taking a seat she looked at her brother and the old friend.

"You have questions they're hanging thick in the air" Crossing his hands over his lap we smiled and looked at the siblings as if he knew everything in the world. His soft old face smiling, each wrinkle and scar telling a story across his skin.

"Tell us everything" Atlas spoke his voice determined to know the truth. "Tell us why we're just now finding out"

Sitting up and crossing his legs Apollo looks his steely grey eyes sparkling in the candle lamp lit by the books. Acting as if to tell the story of great importance though everything was nonchalant about how he moved as though the tale held no importance to him as if it wasn't the best kept secret of the time. With growing annoyance Astra rearranged herself in the chair, tucker her feet under her and rolling up the sleeves of her white button down shirt. Atlas while annoyed at the man for not quickly telling was better hiding it than his sister. While his sister shifted and sighed he sat there perfectly still the only movement was of his fingers that gently drummed on the arm of the chair.

"I think I shall begin now, it started in 1839 if i remember correctly that's when we got here. The small plain we had landed on was, at the time, surrounded by trees and scattered houses here and there" Taking a pause he looked at the siblings and smiled fondly before his voice started again though French he held a thick English accent.

"As soon as we got here we started to build the mansion, we worked day and night while you Atlas kept your barely a year old sister occupied on the front lawn. It took us almost two years to get this place running. As more refugees from our galaxy rushed in they stayed here though working as maids and butlers ,and now ship crew, they were happy. This mansion for years has been a beacon for those in the outer galaxies tortured by Nash and his armies. When you were no bigger than a table your parents told us to keep this place safe and to welcome all new people while they went to train you out on a ship. Starlight was beautiful, freshly painted, brand new and even then the floorboards squeaked. Though it annoyed your father dear Leo to no end your mother sweet sweet Cassandra found it a great comfort. As you were raised on the ship you knew everything that happened but you never knew what hit the night of the fatal storm."

Removing his glasses and wiping his eyes with an old handkerchief before looking at the siblings who sat on the edge of their seats. Already knowing what happened next but still were ready to listen to the full story.

" You'd battled hurricanes before, this one was no different till the other ship appeared in the distance. As loving and caring as they were they never thought it could be dangerous but when they were shot down. Atlas such a sweet big brother though you saw it through the cabin window you continued to hold your sister through the storm ignoring your own sadness for her comfort. The next morning when she found out she wailed like the moon had fallen from the sky. No one could calm her but you. She sat night after night on the deck once in a while playing with the wheel. Though it was the middle of winter she refused to come inside, it was mid December and it was fixing to snow when we landed in Paris. Astra was quiet the whole way back to the mansion, she just clutched your finger as you walked.

We held the funeral that night, the whole mansion was in mourning. Just after dinner when everything was quieting down for the night we witnessed a frantic big brother panicking for he couldn't find his baby sister. You ran around the entire mansion trying to find her. Then all of a sudden, no one knew why, you bolted out the front door and into the woods surrounding the backside of the mansion. We feared the both of you would freeze to death out in the horrible snow, though we sighed in relief when Aurora noticed you'd taken both jackets off the coat stand. Fear set in again when the clock chimed midnight and the two of you weren't back yet.

Grabbing our own coats getting ready to start searching, you walked in holding a small bundle of blankets that was Astra, the both of you covered in snow. Without a word to anybody you took her straight to your room and laid her on the bed. Of course we followed to make sure you weren't injured but you both were fast asleep on the king sized mattress. I pulled the comforter over your shaking bodies and went to the kitchen to prepare the best breakfast imaginable. Everybody was working ignoring our fatigue, we were not the important ones you were. All through the night we hummed carlos and baked.

In the wee hours of the morning when we heard it we all paused and looked up. The faint sound of crying at first we thought it was Astra but in the quiet of the night, when,even the air seemed to stop breathing, we heard the soft sounds of a little girl's voice singing a lullaby we hadn't hurt since you left to go sailing. The sobs soon turned to sniffles as you both fell back asleep and we continued preparing for Christmas eve. "

Having moved from the chair to her brother's lap Astra wiped her eyes, tears rolling down her face. Hugging her tightly Atlas rested his head on her shoulder and smiled sadly. Apollo stood up and smiled again this one sadder as if all life had been drained.

"Apollo, you told us a wonderful story but it doesn't help with what we're looking for"

"Oh but it does Princess, just think about it. Why would you be taught to sail a ship if we're from space?"

Standing at the doorway we look at the siblings again and smiled again this one more mysterious than the last. "I can no longer be of use to you, Starlight holds the key to what you seek"