Ad Astra

Chapter 41

I wake the next morning with an overwhelming sense of dread that threatens to engulf me. There are two days left until my mother's assassination plan takes place, and I still have no idea how I am going to protect Asteria.

For some reason, time seems to slow down upon my waking. I am more aware of the softness of Asteria's sheets and the feeling of her hair between my fingers. Any other day, this would be a peaceful morning, but the churning in my stomach reminds me of what is at stake; how Zofia's murder is still being investigated, how Asteria's father and brother may soon be dead at the hands of my mother and sister, and how Asteria herself may be taking her last breaths if I do not do something to stop them.

"Good morning," Asteria says.

Her voice makes me jolt. I glance down, not having noticed her pale blue eyes staring upward at my own. Her hand reaches up and traces my cheek. I lean into her touch and savor the warmth radiating from her fingertips. For whatever reason, I want to savor every moment with Asteria today.

"Good morning," I respond quietly.

I move slowly as I ready myself and Asteria for the day. I pay more attention as I go through the motions of assembling my maid outfit. I chuckle to myself as I think of the first day I wore it, how I struggled incessantly to put all the pieces on correctly. My fingers move slower than normal as they lace up Asteria's dress. I have chosen the same light blue gown I saw her wear on the first day I saw her.

"Why this gown today?" Asteria asks.

"It seemed fitting," I respond.

We eat breakfast together – a simple meal of eggs and sausage and warmed bread. I take each bite slowly and chew thoroughly. Though the meals here pale in comparison to what I ate back in Landiani, I have grown to savor the food prepared by the chefs in Esterpool.

"Why don't you join me for lunch in the garden today?" Asteria suggests when breakfast is finished.

I oblige.

Never before have we eaten together midday. I am usually off performing my duties while Asteria is either keeping to herself or performing her own royal duties. Today, though, the maids lay out a white tablecloth on top of one of the garden tables, and the chefs serve us a salad, made fresh with the abundance of fruits and vegetables that are grown over Esterpool. I chat and smile and eat beside Asteria, admiring the rolling green hills in the distance that make Esterpool so distinct from the otherwise barren wasteland of Magnuvia.

After lunch, we stroll through the garden, admiring the blooming flowers and the rolling clouds in the sky. Like usual, Asteria leads me to her secret garden, and we sit on the fountain's edge. Asteria kisses my face; I play with her hair.

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" Asteria asks, staring up at the clear blue skies.

I nod in agreement. The weather has mainly been wonderful here, but there is something beautiful about today that I cannot quite pinpoint.

"Though...I suppose fall will be here soon," Asteria says.

I glance down at my lap. Autumn...it is still a little while away, but I do not even know if I will be here in that time, nor do I know if Asteria will still be alive.

"Do the leaves change color here?" I ask.

Asteria nods. "Do they not in Landiani?"

I shake my head. "The leaves stay green year round."

"You will enjoy autumn, then. Even though the flowers die, the leaves become their own sort of spectacular color," Asteria says. "We will have to take many strolls in the garden when that time comes." There is longing in her voice that I do not normally recognize. It is almost as if she is mourning a memory that may never exist, just as I am. However, her eyes still shine brightly, and there is a smile plastered on her face, however false her claims may be.