𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕(𝙰𝙲𝙾𝚃𝙰𝚁)

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔣𝔬𝔲𝔯

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

age: 10

      Azriel's shadows flew around to entertain me at breakfast. I giggled at them, letting one wind around my finger. They'd grown to love me over the past month, truly doting on me.

"They like you," Azriel said to me as he ate his eggs.

     I grinned. Though we had only known each other for two months, I had never felt so connected with somebody before.

      Astraea strolled into the kitchen to join the rest of us, filling her plate up with eggs. She'd been doing a lot better over the last month, and while she was quiet, she was very kind. 

     My brows knit together at the scent of her. Something was different. It was her scent, the one I'd come to know over the past month, but beneath it--something else. Something sweet.

     I gazed over to my mother, whose face had grown solemn. She stood up and went to Astraea's side, placing her hands on her shoulders very delicately.

"What's wrong?" Astraea questioned, confusion stretched across her features as she took in our expressions.

"Astraea," Mother whispered, her voice breaking.

"What is it?" Astraea repeated, more urgently this time, as something akin to fear sparked in her eyes.

"You're with child," Mother informed her.

     My eyes widened as I exchanged a glance with my twin. She was only sixteen. Most Fae didn't bear children until their 100s. Female Fae bodies weren't typically ready until then. Illyrians had historically ignored that, and as a result, many Illyrian females died in childbirth. 

     Astraea's face fell. The plate of eggs slipped from her grasp and shattered on the floor. She shook her head, a hand going to her mouth, her blue eyes wide.

"I'm sorry, my dear," Mother said to her, tears in her eyes.

     Astraea tore herself from Mother's grip, rushing out of the room. Mother sighed, wiping the tears from her own hazel eyes.

"I'm going to talk to her," she informed us. "Please, please, be kind to her through this."

     We were all well aware that she was mostly speaking to Rhys, who had been quite rude to her in the past month. And of course, when Mother left, Rhys snickered.

"Rhys, don't be mean," I insisted.

"She's sixteen and with child," he pointed out through a mouthful of eggs.

"Exactly, so be nice to her," I snapped. I turned to Azriel, who was staring at his lap. "Az, you okay?" He nodded.

"She's not even married," Rhys mumbled.

"My mother wasn't married, either," Cassian snapped. I glanced at him, surprised to see him standing up for Astraea. "But that didn't make her a bad mother."

     Cassian never spoke of his family. He hadn't told any of us what happened to his parents. He likely confided in my mother, but she had kept it from us, as well.

     Cassian got to his feet, knocking his chair over as he stormed out of the kitchen.

"Look what you did," Evelina murmured, glaring at Rhys. 

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

     Since Astraea had been given the news that she was with child, she spent most of the day hidden away in our room. At night, I could hear her quietly crying, but I never said anything.