Tyranny of Steel

Kristoffer stood sat within a large room of the Kufstein Imperial Palace. This particular area of the Palace housed a grand piano. He had grown up in this extravagant home since the day he was born, and his mother Adela had paid him the utmost attention and care as he progressed through childhood.

If the First Prince Hans was said to have inherited his father's brilliance, and his mother's cunning nature. Then Kristoffer was known for his intellect and kind heart, which he undoubtedly received from his mother. 

At the moment, the boy was playing the Piano to a masterful display. Since the age of four, his mother had taught him how to play the musical instrument, and as the years passed, his understanding of it advanced well beyond his years.

As he pressed the individual keys and played a joyful song that he had written himself, a doll-like figure appeared from behind the door, silently observing the boy as he played. Kristoffer did not notice her at first, as the girl hid her body and half of her face. Only one blue eye peered into the room, and observed the boy as he played the piano with a satisfied smile on his face. 

Eventually the song came to an end, where Kristoffer reached for a glass of water which was kept on a nearby table. He drank from the clear liquid and sighed in satisfaction before preparing to play the next song. It was at this moment; he spotted the shy figure of his young fiancee hiding behind the doorway. With a friendly tone in his youthful voice, the boy called out to her in an attempt to coax her into the room.

"I see you Astrid. Are you perhaps interested in the piano?"

The girl named Astrid immediately shivered upon hearing her name, and hid fully behind the door. It had been three years since she had come to live in Kufstein, and despite being well acquainted with her future husband, she was still so reserved around him and his family. To Kristoffer, this timid nature was nothing but appealing, and thus he called out to the girl, as if she were a frightened rabbit, in an attempt to bond with her.

"You know, if you are interested in the Piano, I can teach you how to play..." 

With the twitch of her dainty ears, Astrid slowly peaked behind the corner and gazed upon Kristoffer, who had a kind expression on his youthful face. She slowly appeared in the doorway. The girl was roughly the same age as Kristoffer, meaning she was currently eight years old.

Astrid was as cute as can be. She had long platinum locks and round ice-blue eyes. Her heart-shaped face with a button nose gave her the appearance of a living doll who was sculpted out of the finest porcelain. 

Astrid was dressed in what can only be described as a Victorian lolita style dress whose color matched her eyes perfectly. Further giving off the impression that she was not a living being, but a perfectly sculpted doll. Despite her adorable appearance, she was extremely shy, not willing to look Kristoffer in the eyes, instead gazing upon the floor while holding her dainty hands together in front of her. 

The German Prince knew that if he made one sudden move, Astrid would bolt out the door like a jackrabbit who was fleeing a pursuing coyote. Because of this, he slowly scooted over on the bench where he played the piano, and patted the space he had made for the girl.

There was a look of hesitation in the girl's ice-blue eyes as she questioned whether or not she should take Kristoffer up on the offer. With the slight bite of her lower lip, she decided to take a chance, and cautiously approached her fiancee before sitting down next to him. This caused Kristoffer to smile in appreciation before placing his hands on the keyboard and showing Astrid the basic position to keep her fingers in while playing the instrument. 

"Like this... Follow my lead."

Kristoffer spent the next hour teaching Astrid the basics of the keyboard before stopping. He figured it was not wise to overwhelm her with too much information and instead smiled and complimented the girl on her quick learning ability.

"We'll stop here today. You did well. If you keep this up, I'm sure you will be playing like a pro in no time!"

Astrid blushed and looked away as she heard this compliment. Kristoffer had thought his eyes were deceiving him when he observed a slight smile on the girl's doll-like face until he heard her mutter in a voice so low that he thought perhaps he was hallucinating.

"...Thank you..."

After confirming that the girl did in fact thank him, and smile for the first time that he had observed in the last three years, Kristoffer broke out into a beaming expression of his own before nodding his head and responding to the timid girl.

"It's no big deal. Anytime you feel like learning how to play, I will be here for you..."

Astrid's face became beat red as she heard this, and could no longer look Kristoffer in the eye. In an act of embarassment she scurried off, leaving Kristoffer behind with a fat smile on his adorable face. He sat there in silence for several moments before Adela walked in and commented on the progress of his relationship with Astrid.

"I think she likes you..."

Snapping out of his daze, Kristoffer looked over at his mother, and instantly ran into her arms with a firm hug, all the while screaming in delight.

"Mommy!!!"

Adela had been busy with work recently and had not been available during the day. Seeing his mother home so soon brought great happiness to the young boy's heart. Adela merely smiled and hugged her eldest son, while stroking his golden hair in a comforting manner.

"How's my little boy doing? Are you getting along with your little fiancee?"

Kristoffer smiled and nodded his head thrice before responding to his mother's query.

"Yes, she's still really shy, but I think she is starting to warm up to me!"

Adela continued to hug her son and pet his hair, as she comforted him about his relationship with his fiancee.

"Astrid is a good girl. She is just a bit timid. You should make sure to take care of her. After all, she is your responsibility. One day, the two of you will be married, and it will be your job to take care of her."

Kristoffer nodded his head in agreement with his mother's words, while having a wide smile on his face. He was quick to make a promise to Adela, one that he did not fully realize the gravity of.

"I promise I will make Astrid happy!"

Adela kissed her son on the forehead and released her hug, before kneeling down so that she was on his level. 

"I am sure you will... Now let's go eat lunch!"

After saying that, the mother and son departed for the kitchen, completely unaware that Astrid had hidden nearby and heard Kristoffer's promise. Her heart was thumping like crazy, and her face was as red as can be. She had known the boy for three years, and he was among the kindest souls she had ever met. 

Despite this, she kept her distance from him. It was not intentional; she was just an incredibly introverted girl. However, even at her young age, she could be moved by the boy's words, and felt that she was beginning to develop a crush.

Perhaps it would be best if she were to follow them to lunch. After a fierce internal debate within her mind, Astrid ultimately decided to take a chance of rejection, and ran after Kristoffer and Adela, where the two of them were surprised to see her. Before they could question why she had followed them, she spit out the thoughts in her mind, knowing that if she hesitated, she would not be able to speak them.

"Can I join the two of you for lunch?" 

The girl shut her eyes when she said this and braced her heart for rejection. However, Kristoffer surprised her by walking over to her and grabbing hold of her hand before leading her towards the dining hall. She opened her eyes when she felt his touch and was surprised to see the kind expression on his face. With a slight nod of the head, Kristoffer accepted her request.

"Of course you can! I would be delighted to eat with you, Astrid!"

With this said, Astrid remained silent and followed Kristoffer and his mother into the dining hall, where the three of them shared a meal together. Though she was quiet, and reserved as she usually was, she was not alone, and for the first time in a long time, she felt a genuine sense of belonging within the von Kufstein household.