"Astraeus Andromedus Aurelius!"
She had used his full name… He knew he was in big trouble.
He slowly turned around to face the source of the voice. He saw his mother standing there with her arms crossed and her eyes red from crying. She was a beautiful woman, with long blonde hair and green eyes that matched his own. She wore a simple but elegant dress of purple silk, the color of royalty. She had a golden crown on her head, signifying her status as the queen consort. She looked furious and worried at the same time.
He tried to act innocent and smiled weakly.
"Is there something the matter, Mother?"
"Don't you 'Is there something the matter, Mother" me!"
He glanced at his imaginary wristwatch and pretended to be surprised.
"Oh dear, look at the time."
"Don't you dare run away from me, young man!"
Astraeus quickly gunned it.
He bolted for the nearest exit, hoping to escape his mother's wrath. He ran as fast as he could, dodging guards and servants who looked at him with curiosity and amusement. He knew he had no chance of outrunning his mother, who was known for her speed and agility, but he hoped to find a hiding place or a distraction that would buy him sometime.
But there was something faster than him… faster than light.
Slippers...
But in this time and age it's high heels.
*woosh*
He heard a loud swoosh behind him and knew it was too late. He muttered a quick prayer and used his magic to strengthen his body, hoping to ease the pain. But he knew it was futile.
The high heel hit him squarely in the back.
Hitting squarely on his back he fell down headfirst onto the carpets. His mother had thrown one of her high heels at him with perfect aim.
She ran towards him and hugged him tightly. She kissed his forehead and stroked his hair.
"I was so worried about you! Don't you ever scare me like that again!" Her voice was trembling and her eyes were wet with tears.
She held him close as if she feared he would disappear again.
"You're my only son! You're my precious baby!"
She lifted him up and dragged him to the dining hall.
"Come let me feed you. I made your favorite dish."
"Maaa... I already ate. I am not hungry." He groaned.
"Astraeus…" His mother said in a scary tone, her face darkening. He knew that look. It meant she was not going to take no for an answer.
"Fine… Fine, but only a little." Astraeus just accepted his fate. He knew better than to argue with his mother when she was in this mood.
She immediately lightened up, smiled, and kissed his cheek.
"That's my good boy." She said proudly. She led him to the table and piled his plate with food.
The table was laden with dishes of various kinds: roast lamb with mint sauce and mashed potatoes, chicken soup with noodles and vegetables, cheese and ham sandwiches, apple pie with whipped cream, chocolate cake with ice cream, and more. It looked like enough food to feed a small army. His mother had clearly gone overboard in her attempt to please him.
He noticed that she had also prepared some of his favorite desserts with mangoes: mango pudding with coconut milk, mango cheesecake with graham cracker crust, mango smoothie with vanilla ice cream, and fresh sliced mangoes with honey. He loved mangoes more than any other fruit.
He glanced wearily at his mother with a gaze that said "how am I going to finish this all?" But his mother just returned his look with a highly expectant face that said "you better eat everything or else." He sighed and picked up his fork. He knew he had no choice but to comply.
He is full clearly evident by his stomach.
He felt his stomach bulging out after eating so much food. He felt like he had eaten a whole elephant. His sculpted abs which he trained hard for comically disappeared and got replaced by a bloated stomach.
"Excuse me…"
He excused himself from the table and ran to the bathroom. He felt a surge of nausea and burped loudly. He burped again and again, releasing all the air and gas that had accumulated in his stomach. He felt his stomach shrinking back to its normal size. He looked at himself in the mirror and saw that his rock hard abs had returned. He smiled with relief and wiped his mouth.
Astraeus emerged from the bathroom feeling much better. He took a deep breath and opened the door, ready to face his mother again. She was waiting for him outside, her expression softened and her eyes concerned.
"Are you feeling better, my dear?" She asked, her hand on his forehead.
Astraeus nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed by the whole ordeal. "Yes, Mother. Thank you for asking."
"I shouldn't have made you eat so much. I just wanted to show you how much I care." She gave him a sad smile.
Astraeus felt a pang of guilt. He knew his mother loved him and only wanted the best for him. He leaned in and hugged her tightly, feeling a surge of affection and gratitude.
"I love you too, Mother. And I appreciate everything you do for me."
They stood there for a moment, wrapped in each other's embrace.
Then his mother poured him a cup of tea and they began to chat about the events of the day.
"Feeling better, my dear?" she asked.
"Yes, much better." Astraeus replied, taking a sip of his tea.
"Good, good. Now, let's have some tea and chat for a bit."
Astraeus nodded, feeling a sense of dread. He knew that his mother's idea of "chatting" usually involved interrogating him about his personal life and his plans for the future. But he couldn't refuse her hospitality, so he picked up his cup and took a sip.
As they drank their tea, Astraeus tried to steer the conversation towards safer topics, such as the weather and the latest gossip from the court. But his mother was persistent, and soon she was grilling him about his romantic prospects.
"So, have you met any eligible young ladies lately?" She asked, eyeing him over the rim of her cup.
Astraeus nearly choked on his tea. "What?!"
He then coughed and composed himself. "No, Mother, I haven't."
"Well, you should. It's high time you found a suitable match. You're not getting any younger, you know."
Astraeus rolled his eyes, feeling exasperated. He knew that his mother meant well, but he couldn't help feeling annoyed by her meddling.
"Mother, please." Astraeus rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
"I have more important things to worry about than my love life. The kingdom is facing serious threats, and I need to focus on my duties as a prince."
"Yes, yes, of course. But you can't neglect your personal life entirely, you know. You need to find someone who will support you and stand by your side, no matter what."
Astraeus sighed inwardly, knowing that he wasn't going to win this argument. He resigned himself to his mother's matchmaking schemes.
"Besides." She added with a twinkle in her eye. "I'm not getting any younger. I want grandkids."
"MOM!" Astraeus choked on his tea, coughing and spluttering.
His mother patted his back gently, chuckling. "I'm just saying. We have long lives but we are not very fertile."
"You're not helping your case, mother." Astraeus wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"Oh come on, Astra. Don't be so uptight. You need some romance in your life."
He groaned, shaking his head. "Mother…"
She sighed, relenting. "Fine. So, tell me, how was the council meeting?" She asked, changing the subject.
He relaxed a bit, grateful for the diversion. "It was fine." Astraeus replied, shrugging.
She asked him about the council meeting and he told her everything he could without revealing any confidential information.
His mother's expression turned serious. "That's a dangerous journey, Astra. You must be careful."
"I know, Mother. But it's my duty. I have to do what's right."
His mother nodded, her eyes filled with pride and concern. "I understand, my dear. Just promise me that you'll be careful, and that you'll come back to me in one piece."
Astraeus smiled, feeling a renewed sense of purpose and determination. "I promise, Mother. I'll make you proud."
"I'm sure you'll be able to work out those issues in time. You're a clever boy, Astraeus. I have no doubt that you'll make a fine king someday."
"Thank you, Mother. I'll do my best." He smiled grateful for her support.
With that, he turned and walked down the corridor, his mind racing with thoughts of what lay ahead. He knew that the journey to Bern and Elibe would be fraught with danger, but he also knew that it was his duty to protect his kingdom and his people, no matter the cost.
As he left the palace, he felt a surge of excitement and anticipation. He didn't know what the future held, but he was ready to face it head-on, with all the courage and strength he could muster.
"Sacae it is…" He whispered.
Magic energy rushed through his body. He summoned the power of teleportation once again, now envisioning the great green plains. He disappeared from sight.
After a quick travel through space and time, he reappeared in a different land.
He opened his eyes and saw nothing but grasslands stretching to the horizon.
Astrid walked for a while, lost in his thoughts, before eventually making his way back to Lyn's tent. He quietly slipped inside, careful not to wake her, and settled back into his bed.