Through the Flames

Aster

Lights are off, candles lit, and a mixture of forest and ink have taken over the small room and the moment she lowers herself into the warm water, Aster feels how every last negative emotion leaves her body. She has been wanting this relaxing moment for a week now and as she leans her head back and closing her eyes, a smile starts to form on her lips. It had taken her years to find the right combination for the best combination for her to relax.

"So, who are we at war with this time? The ladies of Blåkulla?"

A deep sigh runs through her body at the sudden voice. Opening her right eye, she can feel how it twitches.

"Five minutes, is that too much to ask for? Five minutes of peace and quiet?"

She asks, closing her eye again to ignore whoever decided that now is a perfect time to come looking for her. It takes her half a second to remember that she lives alone in the two-room apartment that she has been renting for the past four years. Sitting up properly in the tub, she scans the room.

"Where are you!"

She demands, and as her eye's glances over the mirror above the sink, she sees how it shimmers and two faces looks back at her. In this moment she is quite happy that she always overflows her tub with bubbles. Watching the faces, she recognises them as her fellow sisters, Vesper and Kali and seeing the blood and broken nose on Vesper, Aster's own eyes narrows.

"Hang on!"

She orders them, waving her own hand to block the connection as she rises from the tub. So much for a calm and relaxing evening. Covering herself with a grey bathrobe, she waves her hand towards the mirror a second time, showing that Vesper and Kali are still there.

"What happened? Are you all right, Vesper?"

She asks, jumping into the older sister role she haven't had to use in so long and seeing how the two sisters looks at one another, her eye narrows.

"I was on my way back to the apartment we rent together when I was attacked. It was too dark to see what it was, Kali rushed out when she heard the commotion, the moment she steps out the doors, the attacker runs away."

Vesper starts to explain and from the way she is holding herself and speaking, Aster can just tell that there are things she is keeping silent about. Turning her attention towards Kali, she sees how the other woman tries to look away, making Aster lift one eyebrow.

"As Vesper said, it was dark and for a second I thought I saw a large dog escaping."

Kali explains, not being of any type of use for her and Aster shakes her head. Thinking that expecting a life free on her own for more than four years would be too much to ask for.

"We tried to contact Mother but... no one has been able to."

At the mention of Mother and the fact that they couldn't reach her, makes Aster come to a decision and with it, a deep sigh.

"Head for the house, if you know any more of our siblings living close to you two, take them with you! I will leave this place and will stop by the bar on my way."

She orders, placing a hand on her neck, she can feel how new tension is starting to grow and it makes her wonder just how bad this is going to end. Seeing that her two sisters nod their heads, all Aster do is wave her hand to break the connection. With a look towards her bath with the warm water and bubbles, she takes a second to try and figure out if she has time to continue her bath or not.

Knowing she would rather have this problem delt with as quickly as possible, she pulls up the sleeve of her bathrobe before sticking her hand into the water to pull the plug. She knows fully well she could have just used the magic she had been gifted with so many years ago, but with three hundred years of experience, she has come to learn that sometimes it's just easier to do things with your own two hands. To rely on their magic alone isn't always the best way out of things.