Snippet #2260296

Flashback

A seven year old raced into the small room - with a wooden table with candelabras and wall-hangings lining the walls – just off of the Throne Room.

Her long open silver hair and fair skin rivalled the moons beauty.

Lord Vantgaurd sat drinking with his vassals after a long day riding from the borders of the far North from the Kingdom Gallosor.

“Papa!” The young child shouted out in joy as she ran into the dark Lord's arms and the propped onto his knees.

“I missed you!” She said as the Knights bowed to the Lord and his Lady daughter and took their leave.

“And I you.” He said placing a kiss atop of her head. “And where is your sister?”

“She is in a foul mood and refuses to leave her Chambers.”

Lord Vantgaurd deep throaty chuckle reverberated through the small cosy room.

“And what did you do to put your sister in such bad temper?” He asked

“I did nothing!” Astra defended “It was all her own doing! She said she was the good twin because she was named after the light and day where as I was dark and evil one because I am named night and sky. I told her she was wrong and then she pushed me saying it was I that was wrong . . . and well then I got angry and pushed her into the pond.” Astra finished sheepishly “And she's been in a strop ever since and refuses to leave her room . . . I-I apologised, but she was not having any of it.”

Lord Vantgaurd booming laugh filled the air.

“Is she right?” Astra asked confused by her father's reaction.

Lord Vantgaurd sobered up. “About what?” He asked looking down into the innocent face of his beloved child.

“That I'm evil?”

Lord Vantgaurd frowned at first and then his rough features softened into a smile.

“Look, Astarai, my little Goddess of the Night . . . You must always remember that the day's light can often blind people . . . but you, you are that light of the night that guides the Pilgrim . . . How would our fair devote Pilgrim ever reach his Holy destination if you did not light his way through the dark Night . . . Think no more about your sisters words. Like the light of day she misleads and in turn is misled. It is not you I worry about . . .” Lord Vantgaurd finished kissing the fair cheek as concern flooded his face “It is your sister that which concerns me most . . .”

---

Astra's breath caught in her throat as Zaldir's final few words ran through her mind . . .

“ . . . I never asked him who would protect them from themselves . . . ”

Indeed who would save Aurora from herself? . . . She did for a moment believe her mother would step in and stop her sisters madness . . . I will have to do it myself, Astra told herself firmly . . . For her father's sake.

She did not relish going against her sister. Aurora was more dangerous then her pretty face would have people believe but Astra knew her twin better then anyone else in the world . . . but she is still my sister . . . no matter what . . . Would she able to kill Aurora if it came down to that? She prayed to the Gods it would not come to that.

“I know nothing of it of course,” She lied finally, turning to Zaldir “Call it morbid curiosity, I am heading North after all.”


Astra turned to face the Thunder beast Slayer. She could not in all honesty say that she was less then impressed. Her heart was about to jump out of her chest when he was caught up inbetween the sharp teeth of the deadly beast and Astra was just about to step in when Thorin ripped it apart.

She could not help but stand in awe of the Warrior . . . However, his ego was big enough as it was and she would not feed it further.

“That,” Astra drawled as she stepped forward through the massacre and stopped in front of Thorin, “was the most . . .” a coy smile playing on her lips as she stepped over the defeated beast and looked up at the Thunder Beast Slayer, she could taste his anticipation for her veneration of him and said “unimpressive display of valor I have ever seen. Why they call you one of the greats is beyond me . . . and now if you're quite done showing off can we go back? I should like to collect my Steed and be off at long last.”