Astrid Blu: Orion's Curse

The Rosenheim Family

Katherine says and closes the few opened books on the huge table before straightening her dress gown. She fixes her hair a bit and walks away.

She stops at the door and turns back.

"It's better if they don't know that she's from earth. They would never believe." She says and disappears from their sight.

It scared Astrid. She has to pretend she is not from earth. How is she supposed to do that, though? She doesn't know anything about Blue Haven. She looks at Arthur to find an answer. She stares at him and he stares back with a blank face. It's pretty obvious that even he doesn't know how to handle this situation. He gulps hard and opens his mouth to say something but quickly closes it. He repeats it for a few seconds like a fish before finally finding something to say.

"Don't worry. You just have to play along. How hard can it be, right?" He nervously lets out a laugh and notices that Astrid is still staring at him. He quickly stops laughing and clears his throat.

"I know, you literally have no idea how to pretend to be Blue Haven's. But, let me tell you, you actually look like one." He smiles, reassuring her with his words. She doesn't know whether to take it as a compliment or not. Someone telling you that you look like an alien is definitely not a compliment. But, right now the situation is way more complicated than that. So, Astrid decides to take it as a compliment and offers him a sweet smile.

"So, you don't have to worry a lot about things like that, and concentrate only on getting back. That's our main concern right now." His words are assuring and at the same time heartbreaking. She is constantly reminded that she has to leave all this here and go back, sooner or later. Does he really want to send her away that bad? Is she a burden to Arthur and his sister? Probably. That's why they are doing all they can to send her back. A few tears threaten to find their way into her sapphire eyes. But, she quickly blink them away.

"Let's get this done." Arthur says and walks away, with Astrid strutting behind him, awkwardly. They don't initiate a conversation, but pass through all the big and small corridors connecting the different edges of the big castle. She is never going to learn the ways in this confusing castle. Or she's not going to stay long enough to learn the ways in this confusing castle.

Astrid doesn't scrutinize the palace, this time, while having this short but long journey. She looks at her feet all the time, while walking carefully to not get lost in this huge place, but follow all the turns that the boy in front of her takes.

He stops, finally, at a huge door. This door was different than the other huge doors with which Astrid encountered. This was made of wood but was painted with a honey colored paint, giving it a lustrous look, as if it was a newly cut metal piece. Astrid wasn't done scrutinizing the huge door, when Arthur signed.

"Okay, keep up your cool. No need to be nervous or anything. Just answer all their questions, and if they ask something complicated like...about where you're from or about your parents or background, just seem like you're not comfortable, or act dumb. It always works with my father. But, my mother may try to get into things a bit too much. But, don't worry I'll be their for your rescue." He flashes his million watts smile before knocking lightly onto the huge door.

"Don't forget to bow or do a curtsey." He quickly rants, when a maid opens the door.

"Welcome, young master." She says, so that everyone can hear her. Arthur waves his hands to the maid which are held close to his body, so that no one can see it other than the maid, Astrid and Arthur himself, like cute kid. The maid giggles at his childish behavior. Before the maid could fully open the door, Arthur starts a whisper-talk with the middle-aged woman.

"What is there to eat? I'm starving, Minny." He pouts.

"We made all your favorites. And guess what the dessert is!!" The maid smirks at the boy, who is still pouting. A huge smile forms into his face as he guesses.

"Lemon cake!!!!" He whisper-yells.

The maid nods and laughs at the excited boy. What a baby boy!

"Are they here already?" He asks, suddenly changing the subject.

"Yes, they have been waiting for you." She answers.

"Holy Cow! Why didn't you say earlier? I'm screwed." He gasps. And pushes the door wide open.

He abruptly takes Astrid's hand as if he's in a hurry and walks into the vast room. Astrid finally gets a view of the door, as she walks towards the huge dining table, which seems quite small in a vast room like this. The table is rectangular with six chairs on it's two sides and one each one the other smaller sides. Astrid eyes widen as she sees the people seated on the single chairs. The people she saw on the family portrait. Arthur's parents. They look the same, except they look older. His father and mother were seated on the two farthest ends of the table. They were like a king and queen, both sitting on their throne. Astrid could only see the side of their faces. His father looked just the same as in the picture except for his hair and beard. They were now a snowy white, unlike the few grays in the picture. Everything about him was prestigious but scary. He looked like someone who would shout at you for the simplest mistakes. His mother on the other hand seemed like the most gentle woman ever. Her satin cream grown elegantly falling on her petite frame. A small playful and caring smile lingering across her thin red lips. Her beautiful curly braided blonde hair  lays on her shoulders. The other chairs were occupied by people who she doesn't recognize, until her eyes falls on Katherine. She was sitting near her father. Katherine already noticed the presence of the other two people who came into the wide room. She shoot Arthur a smirk before clearing her throat. All the people including Arthur's parents look at the two of them, awkwardly standing there and holding hands. The sound of Arthur gulping can be clearly heard as the silence in the room is growing and growing.

His fathers gaze moves from Arthur to the girl standing beside him. The scrutinizing gaze of the unknown people makes Astrid's knees weak. The king-like man look down towards their linked hands, before looking straight at Astrid. She suddenly wants to disappear into thin air and never return. Only if it was possible. His mother's smile slowly changes into a confused frown. But she still manages to look kind and friendly. Arthur's father finally decides to break the silence.

"Who is this lovely young lady, holding hands with my son, on a fine morning like this?"