To Us and Beyond the Stars

An Unexpected Return

         "Must I do everything myself?" Azin complained, holding up the pile of notes in front of the low-hanging light.

      "If you continue to whine, then you will." I scolded, whacking his head as I walked by. We moved back into his quarters, where we could talk privately. Azin chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. I picked up some of the charts on his desk, and started to sort them by date. Just how Azin liked it. 

       "But you'll always come back to me, won't you Kress?" He smugly said, casting a satisfied grin over his shoulder. I snorted, sitting down on his bed to spread out the charts. 

      "If I had my way, you'd stay locked up in a room. Away from anything that could hurt you." I replied, keeping a serious face as his breath hitched. 

    "Now, now why must you be so cruel?" He pouted, though his laughter escaped from him in a snort. He turned to me, dark eyes wondering over the spread out charts and my hands. A smirk played on his lips, and he opened his mouth to say something, but a sharp knock sounded at the door. Our eyes cut to each other, both knowing we didn't invite someone here. We never do. 

     "Who do you think it is?" Azin mouthed, looking to the door as the knock came again. I clenched my jaw, jerking my chin to the door. He nodded, his expression returning to that stiff emotionless one from the meeting. Azin grabbed the cloak off the arm chair by the door and bookshelf, where he flung it when he returned. 

    "Ready?" I whispered, as he placed his hand on the door. A clench of his jaw as I moved to his right. The door slid open to a white faced servant. His face blanched even more as he saw my raised knife, ready to stab within a moments notice. 

    "Prince Azin," The servant choked out, sweat trickling down his temple. 

    "Oh, please continue, don't let my War Bird's steel* scare you into submission." Azin nonchalantly said, leaning on the frame and examining his nails. 

    "Your Father has requested your presence," The servant pause, for effect most likely, but I was too busy watching Azin for a reaction. "It seems, your elder brothers have returned from the battle field." 

    The servant chewed his lip, and I opened my mouth to dismiss him, but Azin was ahead of me. The door slid shut before either of us could react....and Azin threw up the second it shut. 

*The blade isn't made of actual steel. This is a rough translation of their metals. This is also supposed to be Kress recounting this in the future, and into our language. As well as making things more "relatable" to our culture.