Star

Back to The Castle

"Okay one, two, three, hot hands!" Astara shouted, slapping Leo's wrists before he could pull them away in time.

"Ow! I told you to stop hitting so hard!" He exclaimed grouchily, rubbing his wrists.

She grinned and shrugged. "Oops, I must've forgotten."

He gave her a look. "Uh huh, sure. Can we stop playing this now?"

"Aw is someone tired of losing?" She teased him as she got up from her bedroom floor.

He scowled. "Excuse me if I don't find getting slapped exactly pleasant."

She poked his shoulder. "Well I had an excellent time."

Leo had teleported to Lilingale that morning to visit Astara, scaring poor Wanda to death when he showed up on the front step. They had been planning to go back to Castle BlueBay, but Greta had insisted on them staying there for the time being till Graham got home from wherever the heck he was.

It's not like he would tell her, he didn't even tell her goodnight.

She still didn't understand why, was she really that unlikable? At least Wanda seemed to at least be making an effort, in her own strange way.

"Hello? Earth to Asta!" Leo called, waving a hand in front of her face.

She blinked. "Huh?"

"I said I need to get back to the castle soon, Sorcerer Moon and I have a lesson today."

"And you're just going to leave me here?" She pouted, not wanting to be left alone again.

"Well," He crossed the room, "I don't really want to leave you, but Greta said to wait for Graham soooo."

She marched over to the door. "Well then I'll just go ask Wanda, after all she's the one in charge of me, not Greta."

She walked out of her bedroom, with Leo trailing behind her, and headed to the quaint living room.

"Wanda is it all right if I—" She stopped short when she saw that Wanda wasn't alone. She was accompanied by Astara's supposed father, Graham.

Graham stared at her with a strange look in his eyes. Then his eyes moved to Leo. He didn't say anything to either of them, he just shuffled his feet and began to walk away.

Wanda kept her eyes fixed on her husband with worry. "Um, yes Astara?"

"Wait!" She blurted, causing Graham to stop in his tracks.

She didn't know why she had told him to wait, because she really regretted it now. Maybe she just wanted to get his attention, maybe she just wanted to see if he would actually listen when she spoke instead of ignoring her like her previous "father" had.

And, to her relief and surprise, he turned towards her and looked at her expectantly, waiting to hear what she had to say.

Her heart pounded, she wasn't used to being heard this easily. "Graham can I—can I go over to Castle BlueBay with Leo? And to see Breanna Lynn...please?" She asked quickly, scared that if she spoke too slow he would walk away.

Graham looked surprised. Maybe it was because she was friends with the princess of Cornacapia, or maybe it was because she had asked his permission for something. Hey it was still new her.