After many heartbreaks and many losses, Aster Potter now has to go on a journey to the past to save her ancestors from the very man who is out to kill her. What better way to do it than to go back to the beginning, where their magic hadn't yet evolv...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
So here's the deal: when Aster's temper flares, she slips effortlessly into Italian. It's a quirk that's stuck with her since the early days with Theo. Back then, she'd grown a tad paranoid with those smouldering steel-grey eyes of his boring into her, his whispers in Italian making her wonder what secrets he was sharing. She never intended to actually use the language herself—she just wanted to decode Theo's murmurings.
Yet, out of nowhere, Italian became her go-to for venting frustration, and it never fails to amuse those around her—well, those who actually understand what she's saying.
Take this moment, for instance: things were far from going according to plan. She had meticulously set up the wards, trusting Blaise to keep watch for any unexpected guests. Instead, here they were, potentially heading towards a king whose reaction was a total wild card. The only silver lining was that the Vikings weren't known for burning witches at the stake, but that didn't quell her bubbling frustration. She needed a distraction from the chaos and heartbreak of the past week.
"Figlio di puttana, che fine ha fatto il tenere gli occhi aperti?" she muttered under her breath. Blaise, who knew Italian thanks to his pureblood upbringing, struggled to suppress his laughter at her outburst.
Catching the glimmer of a grin on Blaise's face, Aster snapped, "Hai il sorriso da pirla!" Her sneer was so pronounced it practically dripped with venom. Draco and Enzo burst out laughing, unable to contain their amusement. The Ragnarssons exchanged amused glances , not understanding a word but clearly entertained by the spectacle.
Aster's eyes flashed as she turned to the laughing duo.
"Di cosa state ridendo, voi due pagliacci? Draco, sei tu quello che ha accettato di seguire queste persone. Potremmo marciare dritti verso una trappola mortale. La mia intera esistenza potrebbe essere cancellata!" She flailed her arms wildly, the sheer absurdity of the situation finally breaking through Blaise's attempts at stoicism.
The scene only escalated when Aster tripped on a rock, her frustration flaring even more. She caught herself just in time, but the stumble set off a fresh round of laughter from Draco, Enzo, and Blaise, who were now practically rolling on the grass .
"Stupida roccia," she grumbled, straightening her jacket with as much dignity as she could muster. Sigurd, Hvitserk, Bjorn, Ubbe, and even Ivar watched with soft smiles. This was the most relaxed they'd seen the group since meeting them , and Aster's spark of joy was a refreshing change from the tense demeanour they'd previously witnessed. It was clear that these men brought out a lighter side of her.
"Stop laughing at me!" Aster fought the urge to stomp her foot like a petulant child. "Come on, these people aren't going to wait all night." She walked over, helping each of her companions to their feet, her irritation melting into reluctant amusement as the group finally started to calm down.
"I better not die today," Aster muttered as Enzo signaled for them to move on.
Hvitserk, catching her words, strolled up beside her with a mischievous grin, matching her pace. "Nobody's going to kill you," he assured her with a twinkle in his eye.
