Beyond?

***Free City States of Nict, Tri***

***Azir***

It's the day! My little sister is to be born. Mother has been in Laney’s workroom for more than an hour. Dad is relatively relaxed while he is reading a book. “I don't understand why you are so cool dad. Your daughter is about to be born and it takes so long!”

Father shrugs his shoulders. “Stuff like this takes time. And believe me, you don't want to be near a woman at a time like this.”

Huh? “What do you mean, Father? Aren't you at least a little nervous?”

Yoran smiles and strokes my hair while avoiding the growing horns which are beginning to bend backwards around my head. “You will learn about this soon enough. Haven't you read any books about biology? Well you'll learn it anyway when you go to school. Laney is the best healer in our city. Valda will be up and walking around again as soon as the business is finished.”

Huh? Biology? Why should I? There was enough to catch up to in regards to common knowledge. And I had to spend time with him, that old fart! I did the annual tax calculation for him to increase our time together!

I judged by the size of mother's belly that I don't have much time left to build a proper relationship with my father. So I followed Dad on his heels wherever he went. It became really tiring to stick to him like that!

But then my concern is blown away as Mother enters the waiting room proudly with a bundle in her hands. Laney is following on her heels.

She places the bundle on the table in the middle of the room while I am climbing onto a chair to take a look at my little sister. Valda pulls the blanket aside and reveals... a big speckled egg.

Huh? “What's this? Dinner? Where's sister?” I knock twice on the egg and am answered by two knocks. My shocked gaze switches to Valda and Laney who look at me like I just said something blasphemous.

Then Valda smiles. “That's your sister.”

The gears in my head stop. Then they start turning in the other direction. “I see! So we lay eggs.” I nod. Of course. “Are we birds?” I knock another time and the egg answers.

Laney grabs my hand. “That's a reflex you shouldn't trigger too often. And of course we lay eggs. Like most other animals on this planet! Our ancestors were big lizards who flew through the skies. There are old bones which prove that.”

“Great. We are featherless birds! When will it hatch?” I am still trying to wrap my head around this new development.

Valda purses her lips. “Two to three months from now. Depends on the temperature and the moisture.”

ARRGH! I invested so much time into being with my father when it wasn't urgent at all! And my nervousness level was at ninety nine percent when Mother was just laying an egg!

My mother pulls me from the chair. “You look a little tired. No need to be nervous about it. It's still some time till you can see your little sister.”

Her tail entangles the egg and lifts it effortlessly. Then she leads me out of the room while holding my hand. “Actually I need to talk to you about something.”

Father follows us and I look expectantly up to Valda. After a while she continues. “In two weeks we'll have a visitor. It's the head of the Tinn and her name is Ingrid. It's possible that she wants to take a look at you. So you will have to pretend to be a normal child.”

That doesn't sound pleasant. “That probably means that I can't stay in the library during that time?”

Valda nods. “Probably she'll bring her daughter too.”

“Nononono! That's a no! I won't play with her or something like that. And I won't let myself being paired up with a spoiled little princess!” I refuse! “I am not fond of this arranged marriage bullshit.”

Mother stops abruptly and her beautiful blue dress sways a little. Then she turns towards me, grabbing me at both shoulders with an iron grip. It hurts, but my struggling only makes it worse as I am lifted to her eye level.

“~Azir?~”

“Yes, mother?”

“You are a member of this clan and my son?”

“I think so?”

“I never used the amulet against you.”

“No? Would you? Where is it anyway? Haven't seen it for a long time.”

“~It's destroyed.~ I have seen to it and I never would've used it against you.”

I let out a sigh.

Her grip gets tighter.

“~But!~ As my son you have certain responsibilities. We are on bad terms with the Tinn and I hate their clan head Ingrid. Despite that we have to keep up appearances and when they pay us a visit to take a look at a future asset in the power struggle between the clans, we have to play the generous host.”

I nod eagerly. “I'll be a stupid little child and play with the girl like children play with each other.”

Valda pulls me to her chest and hugs me tightly. “I am glad that you understand the situation.”

***

I hear them coming. This is my great scene! One last check on the room. Seems to be fine. The toys are lying around without order, check. No books, check. No tools, check.

Now the mirror. Mouth open, eyes slightly upturned, a little drool down my chin, check!

The door opens and I do my best to play my role. Valda enters with a woman who has to be Ingrid. A small blonde haired girl is with them. She is holding onto Ingrid's skirt while looking slightly confused.

I get up and stomp towards them. “Mom!”

Valda smiles and kneels down to hug me. “Azir, how are you doing? Look! We have brought a little friend for you.” She points at the girl.

Ingrid frowns. “So that's your first-born.” She bends down and looks at me.

Valda smiles. “That's Ingrid. Say hi.”

I wave my hand while pretending to be shy. “Hi.”

Then Ingrid reaches for my face and forces my jaw apart, taking a look at my teeth. It happened faster than I could react to the situation. She turns me three hundred and sixty degrees while she inspects my whole body.

What? What the fuck? Who does she think she is? I am not some kind of cattle! You are on my black list from now on! Ingrid Tinn! I've noted it down! Wait until I have my magic back! I'll bring you down! No! Your whole clan is going to fall! I'll see to the erasure of your bloodline! This humiliation!

My gaze turns to Valda who wears a forced smile and clenches her fists. Ingrid presses one of the test marbles on my hand and it starts shining.

She gets up again. “Everything looks fine. How about talking somewhere else and letting the children play on their own?” She pushes her daughter towards the wooden toys and building blocks on the ground. “Play!” She orders.

I return to my previous position and pat the ground. As the girl comes closer, I offer her a wooden horse which is accepted without problems.

Valda smiles at me and leaves the room. “It looks like they will be fine...”

The door closes behind them and I turn my attention to the girl. She is still inspecting the wooden horse. I place one of the building blocks on the floor in front of me and offer her another one.

But the girl drops the horse, all childish interest gone from her expression. She turns and runs to the door, pressing her ear against it. I keep sitting flabbergasted at my position.

“Tch! To be forced to do such stupid secret missions. Stealing other people's bloodlines to avoid troublesome relationships is just in poor taste.” She turns around and walks back towards me, pulling a syringe with a long nasty needle from her pink dress.

Holy shit! What the heck is this girl? Someone like me? A reincarnated soul? Is she possessed by something? No. There was a clan ability which grants perfect memory. Maybe she has that? It would allow a child's mind to grow rapidly.

Should I run and tell mom? But then the girl and Ingrid would find out about me. How can I solve this?

“This will prick a little, so be a man and deal with it.” She reaches for my hand and I move on reflex. I hit her hand away, causing her to drop the syringe. Three fast hits with the building block in my hand shatter the syringe to tiny pieces.

The girl is just standing there, looking shocked at her shattered device. I lose no time and giggle, while I look with my most stupid expression at the girl.

“You!” She reaches for me, but I slap her hand away. A second and a third try end with the same result, so I focus my attention on building a tower with the building blocks around me.

The girl steps back and walks three circles around me, eyeing me from all sides. “You! Who are you?”

I clap my hands. “Azir! Azir build high!”

The girl kicks my tower and it crumbles. “Don't play games! I know that you are pretending!”

“Play?” I put my thumb into my mouth and suck on it while I am sorting the building blocks.

The girl turns red with anger, but then she realizes that the new order of the building blocks has a certain method to it. Luckily there are letters engraved into them.

“ F u c k   y o u ! ”

Then she starts to chuckle. “Oh I am beginning to understand. Mother spoke of those guys who were hard to control, but very skilful. I am beginning to think of this as a challenge. Just wait, I'll make you mine! You are going to be my man!” She points at me, but then I hear the voices of our returning mothers.

She drops to her knees and picks up the shards of the broken syringe, cutting herself while doing so. I just grin as I watch her. Never pick up broken glass in haste. Then she kicks my message to destroy the evidence.

Ingrid takes a look into my room. “Come. The negotiations failed. We are going.”

.