Astrid Blu: Orion's Curse

Oakwood Residence

The four of them walks out of the huge front door of the Rosenheim palace. Astrid, wearing her new dress gown, which Arthur insisted her to wear. It was different from the usual dress Arthur gives her. This one was more formal and sleek. It had white sleeves and a collar. The rest of the dress was dark brown and pleated from the waist. She braided her long red hair, which is kept over her left shoulder. Arthur insisted on giving her another pair of slippers, but Astrid quickly refused the offer and stuck with the brown one he gave her yesterday.

Arthur is in his usual black and white tuxedo, while Harry is wearing a cherry red one with a black shirt. He had an evil smirk plastered over his face while looking between Arthur and Astrid. Katherine was not bothered by anything surrounding her, as she walks forward while reading the same book she was reading yesterday.

As they all reached the outside, a shiny vintage car was parked in front of them. It was black and looked exactly like the photos of the vintage cars Astrid has seen in pictures. It had space for all of them.

After seeing all of them lined up together, the driver who was seated in the car gets out and gives a questioning look to Arthur.

"Where do you wish to go today, young master?" The man asks.

"Ah, you don't have to. I'll drive." Arthur answers. The man shoots another questioning look towards Astrid and walks away.

"Hop in." Harry says before getting onto the back seat, leaving the door open. Katherine goes to sit in the passenger seat, beside Arthur.

Arthur starts the engine after Astrid got inside the backseat of the vintage vehicle, with Harry sitting next to her. Arthur put the key in the ignition to start the engine.

The car abruptly starts to shake and make noise which clearly resembles an old goods train. Astrid puts her hands onto the side of the door to stop the vibrations going through her body from the shaking vehicle. But, the other passengers of the vehicle doesn't seem bothered at all about any of this. That's when she realized that this is maybe normal for old cars like these. She takes a moment to catch her breath. Even the trains on earth nowadays don't make noise. The moving vehicle literally feels like sitting inside a grinding mill. It was literally shaking everyone's limbs off. And the noise!! Don't even mention it.

The ride was super bumpy and uncomfortable for someone who came from a much developed world. But, the other passengers were sitting comfortably while chatting with each other.

After it felt like hours of awkward shaking, the car finally came to stop. Astrid let a deep breath, that she didn't even realize, was being held.

The car stopped in front of a small wooden arch, saying Oakwood residence. This whole area was so different from where the Rosenheim palace was situated. This was more dense and the houses were small and congested. A lot of people living through their daily activities, walking and talking.

They all exit the black vintage car. Katherine closes her book, but still holds it in her hands. Harry seems to be excited than everyone else. He is waving at the people walking by, enthusiastically. Arthur fixes his tux and hops out, with the key hanging from his index finger.

"Let me look at the address. We can ask someone." He says and takes the same crumbled paper, from last day, from his trouser pockets.

"22 Avenue." He mumbles.

"That's not going to be hard to find. Let's go." Harry says and walks into the path with the wooden arch, with the rest of them following him.

The pathway was wide at first, but became smaller as they went deeper. They pass by many houses and finally reached a place that is said to be 22nd Avenue. Astrid had no idea why that house had that label.

She simply followed the others as they went in and knocked on the rather small door of the moderate house.

"Coming..." A rather high pitched, voice says from the other side of the door.

"Are you sure we are at the right address?" Katherine questions her brother, avoiding the whistling Harry beside her.

The door opens. A lady, probably in her twenties standing at the door. Her short blonde hair braided. One edge of her light blue dress tucked to her waist, mud covering her ankles and the edge of her dress. She looked like a solid Cinderella.

She looks at all the unfamiliar faces at the door.

"Uh..." She lets out.

"Is this where George Ainsworth lives?" Arthur politely asks.

"Yes. He's my father."

"We're here to meet him." Katherine answers. She is holding her book close to her chest.

"Come on in." The lady at the door opens the door wide enough for everyone to get in. She rushes into the house right after all of them get in.

It was a small house. Everything from the floor to the ceiling was made of wood. It looked like a pretty penthouse, with little decorations here and there. A wreath hanging on the wall along with a few flower pots on the windowsills. It looked perfect. Small and comfy.

"My father is in his room. He...can't really walk." The lady comes back after cleaning the mud from her hands and legs. "You can come into the room. He's awake." She says pointing towards a small door at the edge of the room.

"Oh, yes. We're really sorry for disturbing you." Katherine apologizes and proceeds to walk towards the room in which Ainsworth is going to be.

The door opens into a small room which smells like fresh poppy flowers. It felt like walking into a garden. Astrid was liking it in here a bit too much. But, it worsened when she saw the inside of the tiny room, with a bed and a man sitting on a chair beside it. The whole room was decorated with yellow poppies. It was so cute. Yellow poppies on the windowsill, walls, flowers vases. An unintended smile crept up on her face at seeing this room, which looks perfect in her eyes.

"You came to see me, Ehh." A raspy voice coming from the man sitting with his side faced towards them says.

*****