Cruel Star

Part 2 - Child Of Aster

I woke to a shattered window.

It was the same one I saw every day, but everything felt different to me now.

"The Children of Aster," I could still hear the king's voice in my ear.

"Extended member of the royal family."

I wanted that title. But how could I earn it?

I contemplated this as I got dressed and headed to the kitchen.

"Oh, Ara, is that you?" my big sister's voice carried over from the other side of the room.

"Yes, Lydia, it's me," I said, though I couldn't understand why she was asking; she should know my footsteps by now.

"Oh good, I've got an errand for you."

Gods, I didn't have time for this.

Lydia was always asking me to do things, and I swear she just bounced around without doing anything herself. But credit where it's due, she kept Damian and me in check after Mom died. I was still angry, though, and I could practically feel myself lighting on fire.

"So, what do you want?"

It turned out Lydia just wanted me to do some general shopping (with what money, I didn't know) and come straight home to help with cooking.

On the way out, I spotted Damian sitting in his room downstairs.

"What are you doing Damian?"

"Oh, hi Ara! I'm drawing a picture!"

"Can I see?"

"Sure!"

I waltzed into his room and peeked at the drawing. It depicted our family: Lydia with her hands on her hips, and me with a bow in my hair for some reason. Then there was Mom. I was surprised Damian remembered her so well, considering he was only two when she died. He captured her blonde hair and brown eyes perfectly, giving her an air of elegance, even in a drawing.

I took a deep breath and looked at the next figure: Dad. His hair was the same color as Lydia's-red-to-almost-purple- and he had stubble on his chin. Damian drew him as a tall, buff man, which made me wonder how he saw our father.

"Do you like it?"

I ruffled his hair and gave him a smile.

"I love it."

On my way to the shops, I thought about the Children of Aster.

"Special powers. Born on the same day."

Born...

Born...

For some reason, reality had arrived late and slapped me in the face. If I wasn't a Child of Aster, I wasn't a Child of Aster. Simple. I couldn't change that. I could only hope, but I'd come to learn that hope was unreliable.

I was in a foul mood now.

"Oh hey... it's the stuck-up princess!"

I heard a voice from behind me, a voice I didn't like.

"Oh yeah, it is!"

A group of boys my age advanced toward me, all wearing cheeky grins under their filthy eyes.

"Is there something you want with me?" I queried, raising an eyebrow.

"Ooh, such fancy talk. Think you're some big, rich noble, right?"

"I've heard her say she's better than all of us."

Well, that wasn't true.

I never said it out loud.