Asta Silva - Childhood and travel

Chapter 10

<Asta>

I have a problem. A big one. After getting used to the fact that I have to go on that trip, a problem arrived in the form of my Father. I love him, but he doesn't leave me alone for one goddamned second. He even follows me to the bathroom! Liebe's been sitting under the bed for a week now and only comes out during examinations. Poor guy. I feel sorry for him, because he's constantly pushed in somewhere, or has to sit quietly under the bed.

Which brings me to my problem. The maids will pack me, but I need to have some kind of backpack to hide Liebe. But after I had to argue with my Father, so that I could pour tea by myself, I doubt he would let me carry a backpack. Even an empty one.

"Can't you shrink yourself?" the doctor asked.

"I can, but what good would that do? I still have nowhere to hide"

"What about Asta-kun's hair?" he proposed.

"No. If Solid and Nebra tug my hair, they could hurt or sense him" I protested.

"Do you really think your Father will let them?" Liebe asked.

"I won't be with him all the time" I tried to defend my reasoning.

"La... I mean, the Vermillions will be there, so if not with him, then with them"

"But..."

"Asta-kun, everything will be okay" the doctor encouraged me.

"...Fine" I said reluctantly.

***

As it turned out, our destination was a seaside town named Rykya. We had a reservation in a hotel, and we drove in carriages. I was riding in one with Langris and Finral. After long persuading and my Father being slapped by Mereleona, he agreed to let me ride without him and have a separate room from him. I was to room with Langris and Finral. Liebe was hidden in my hair, and he occasionally pat me on the head when I got angry.I was talking with the brothers for the whole trip, and I really liked Finral. I would like to have such an older brother. But I had to be careful not to say too much, because I didn't know if he knows, that me and Langris know each other. Langris also looked at his brother with anger when I talked to him too long. I don't know why, but he seemed uneasy. He sat next to me and held my hand. Finral stared at us weirdly with a smile.

"We will be there in half an hour" said the older Vaude.

"Great" Langris grunted, and laid his head on my shoulder. I smiled and pat him on the head.

"How long have you known each other?" Finral asked.

"Uh..." I panicked. What should I say? Will Langris be mad if I say the truth?

"A few weeks" Langris answered, at the same time hugging me by my waist.

"I'm glad you've made a friend"

"Tsk"

"You're good influence on him" he said to me. I smiled.

"I'm glad you think that"

"Asta... weren't you sleepy?" the blond asked.

"What? No" I said, surprised.

"Your father asked me to make sure you sleep for at least half an hour, so go to sleep"

"He isn't here" I said, a bit irritated.

"But I am. Now"

"I dont have a pillow" I tried.

I didn't want to sleep, not because I wasn't sleepy, but because I knew that Nebra and Solid would try to wake me by pouring water on my head, or something. I don't want Langris to be ashamed of me on the first day.

"Lay down on my lap"

"But..."

"No buts! Go to sleep" he forced me to lay down.

I sighed with resignation and closed my eyes. It wasn't long before I fell asleep, but before that I felt a hand going through my hair. Liebe will be fine. The hand was gentle enough to not hurt him, I think. 

***

I opened my tired eyes, not knowing what was going on. I rubbed them to get rid of the tiredness and looked aroud. This certainly isn't a carriage, Langris and Finral weren't around either. I'm laying down in a bed with blue covers. There are two other beds in the room.

Where am I? What happened? Was I abandoned? It wouldn't be that unusual, but I was with Langris. He wouldn't abandon me! But I didn't tell him about my complicated relations within my family, so he could've given me to Solid, who then left me in some random place. That's highly likely.

"You're awake" Langris walked into the room and smiled at me. My worries dispersed immediately.

"Mhm. What hour is it?" I asked.

"It's six in the evening, dinner should be ready soon, but the adults wanted to eat alone today, so how about going to town?" he proposed.

"Who else is going?" I couldn't give him and immediate anwser, because if Solid or Kirsch were going, I wouldn't.

"Only the two of us" the blonde seemed happy about that fact.

"Okay then" I smiled widely. "I just have to change clothes"

I got up and began searching my things. Looking at their state, you could see that they were packed by maids that don't particularly like me. They weren't even folded. I'm almost completely sure that they just threw everything that fit in. My speculations were confirmed by the fact that I found a skirt there. 

I wouldn't take it normally, since I wear it only when I'm alone.It's not that I feel like a girl, I just like to wear it. They're comfy and I feel more free in them. But I have to hide them, because the last time that a maid caught me wearing one, she burned every single one that she could find in my room, and from the teacher I got a talk about how such a thing is "disgusting". Personally I don't find it weird, but I prefer to keep it to myself. It isn't as if I wear them all the time. Just sometimes, when I feel like it. I fear what would Father or someone else do if he found out.

I quickly hid it under the rest of my clothes and picked up black three-quarter pants and a yellow tank top. I grabbed them and stood up.

"Where's the bathroom?"

"There" Langris pointed at the door on the opposite wall.

I went there and quickly got dressed. I don't know what to do with my hair.

"Leave it loose" Liebe spoke up.I jumped a bit, I forgot that he was there.

"Okay" I agreed, but I don't really like going around with loose hair. I prefer to tie it up and hide it under my shirt. This way Solid and Nebra can't pull on it. But they're not gonna be around this time, so I guess they can stay like this.I left the bathroom and smiled at Langris.

"Are we going?" I asked.

"Yeah"