Lullaby's Tale ~ Listen to the Reign.

Books Hold All The Answers

With a soft thud the library door was closed and the siblings were left in silence. Curling up in her brothers embrace Astra poundered the words Apollo had said. " Starlight holds the key to what you seek"? Getting up she ran to the top of the spiral stairs and started to pull out journal after journal, book after book. She laid them all out of the table and and called for her brother. With an odd look he rushed to the top of the stairs to see his sister rearranging books.

"If you pull them off the shelf in a certain order they make something"

Looking down at the books he was confused, How To Read Stars, The Magic of Light, Whatever It Is, How to Sail A Ship, Animals Are People Too, The Mystery of Space, A Place Called Ours, I'm Coming Home.?

"What? This doesn't make sense?"

"But it does look at the last word of every title, Star Light is a Ship to Space Our Home! Don't you get it our entire lives we've been living on the way home! A way to Andromeda!"

Her enthusiasm was shared by her brother who was still poundering the stupid sounding titles. Grabbing his shoulder Astra shook him forcefully and basically screamed in his ear.

"Listen here you deaf oaf!!! We Know The Answer!!!!!!"

It finally clicked and he looked down at the tiny screaming girl in front of him. Picking her up as if she was a feather he smiled.

"We know the answer!"

"That's what I've been saying you idiot! Now put me down!"

Gently setting her down at her false angry demand, their excitement to great for true anger or frustration. Rushing down the stairs and to their rooms and gathered anything that could carry books, running back to the library they gathered all the 'Latin' books and threw them into the bags getting ready to prepare the ship for everything that might happen. After most of the top floor was packed, leaving only instruction manuals on the kitchen equipment, they called Apollo to get someone to take the bags to Starlight .

Each going to their respective rooms they grabbed their luggage and started to pack for a long journey. While Atlas just threw in all his clothes and a couple books from his personal collection, Astra had a lot more to pack. Along with all her clothes she looked around her room relashing in the soft baby blue of the wall paper. Her eyes wandered over shelves, dressers and end tables deciding what she wanted. She gathered her small collection of fairy tales, her mother's silver handled hairbrush that sat on her night stand along with her father's reading glasses. Looking around the room for what might be the last time she smiled as the memories filled her head, picking up a china doll from an old shelf she looked her over, Lily her old friend was adorned in a pale yellow dress with lace ruffles on the hem and sleeves, a matching bonnet, white patten leather shoes and a parasol that matched the dress. Her golden hair held in tight curls, glassy blue eyes looked up at Astra through thick lashes, her tiny pink lips formed into a soft smile.

Astra held the doll close, tears running down her cheeks and onto the porcelain. Eyes scanning the tiny face of an old friend, smiling softly at the little doll. It soft smile looking almost to say 'It's okay to leave me'. Pulling her to her chest she clung to the doll on her bed, a gentle breeze fills the room from the opened window. The breeze fluttered the lace canopy of her bed, the blue ribbon tied in a bow. A light knock on her door brought her out of her thoughts.

Entering Atlas looked at his baby sister curled up on her bed an old doll clutched to her chest. Sitting on the bed he ran his hand over her shoulder and back and started to hum softly at seeing the river of tears on her face. Pulling her up into his lap and holding her close he cooed softly.

"We don't have to leave"

"Yes we do, we're needed"

"Oh Honey they've waited for almost 14 years they can wait a few more if your not ready"

"Who are you? What did you do with Atlas?" Sitting up with a soft smile she snuggled into her brother as he wrapped his arms around her.

"What's wrong with acting like a big brother?"

"Well you normally act like a doofus jerk" She playfully hit his chest and sat up. "now go i need to finish packing"

The bed groaned as he got up, walking to the door he smiled and left while Astra threw things into her luggage.