Chapter 6: Inspection

***Nict State Free City, Tri***

***Azir***

Today is the day! My little sister is about to be born. My mom has been in Laney's workroom for over an hour. Dad is relatively relaxed while reading a book.

"I don't understand why you're so relaxed, Dad. Your daughter is about to be born and it's taking so long!"

My father shrugs.

"Things like this take time. And believe me, you don't want to be around a woman at a time like this."

"Huh? What do you mean, Dad? Aren't you at least a little nervous?"

Yoran smiles and strokes my hair while avoiding the growing horns that are starting to bend back around my head.

"You'll learn about it soon. Haven't you read any books on biology? Well, you're going to learn anyway when you go to school. Laney is the best healer in our town. Valda will be up and walking again as soon as the labor is over."

Huh? Biology? Why should I know? There was enough to catch up with common knowledge. And I had to spend time with him, that old man! I did the annual city tax calculation for him, so we increased our time together!

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

But then my worry finally ends when Mom walked into the waiting room proudly with a package in her hands. Laney is following her closely.

She places the package on the table in the middle of the room while I'm climbing into a chair to take a look at my little sister. Valda pulls the blanket aside and reveals... a large spotted egg.

"Huh? What is it? Dinner? Where's the sister?"

I knocked the egg twice and am served by two knocks. My shocked gaze turns to Valda and Laney who look at me as if I 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. Clear.

"Are we birds?"

I knock again and the egg responds.

Laney grabs my hand.

"That's a reflex you shouldn't do too often. And, of course, we lay eggs. Like most other animals on this planet! Our ancestors were great lizards that flew through the skies. There are old bones that prove it."

"We are birds without feathers! When is it going to hatch?"

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this new development.

Valda purses her lips.

"Two or three months from now. It depends on the temperature and humidity."

ARRGH! I spent so much time with my dad when it wasn't urgent! And my nervousness level was at ninety-nine percent when Mom was just laying an egg!

My mom pulls me out of my chair.

"You look a little tired. There's no need to be nervous. There's still some time before you can see your little sister."

Its tail picked up the egg and lifted it up effortlessly. Then she led me out of the room, holding my hand.

"Actually I need to talk to you about something"

Her father follows us and I look at Valda expectantly. After a while it continues.

"In two weeks we will have a visitor. She is the leader of the Tinn and her name is Ingrid. It's possible that she wants to take a look at you. So you'll have to intend to be a normal kid."

That doesn't sound pleasant.

"Does that probably mean I can't stay in the library during that time?"

Valda nods.

"She'll probably bring her daughter too."

"No! No! No! That's a no! I'm not going to play with her her or anything like that. And I'm not going to babysit with a spoiled little princess! I refuse! I do n't like this arranged marriage."

Mom stops abruptly and her beautiful blue dress wobbles a little. Then she turns to me, grabbing me on both shoulders with an iron grip. It hurts, but my fight only gets worse when I'm brought to her eye level.

"Azir?"

"Yes, Mom?"

"Are you 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? I haven't seen him in a long time."

"It's destroyed. I've done it before and would never use it against you."

I let out a sigh.

Your grip gets tighter.

"But! Like my son, you have certain responsibilities. We're on bad terms with the Tinn and I hate their clan leader Ingrid. Although we have to keep up appearances and when they pay us a visit to get a glimpse of the future power of the clans' fighting, we have to be generous hosts."

I nod eagerly.

"I'm going to be a small, stupid child and I'm going to play with the girl like children play with each other."

Valda pulls me to her chest and hugs me tightly.

"I'm glad you understand the situation."

****

I hear their footsteps coming. This is my big scene! One last check in the room. It looks good. The toys are lying in no order, checked. No books, checked. No instruments, checked. Now the mirror. Mouth open, eyes slightly turned up, a little drool on my chin, checked!

The door opens and I do my best to play my part. Valda enters with a woman who must be Ingrid. A little blonde girl is with them. She's holding Ingrid's skirt as she looks a little confused.

I get up and walk towards them.

"Mommy!"

Valda smiles and knees down to hug me.

"Azir, how are you? See! We brought you a friend."

She points to the girl.

Ingrid frowned.

"Then that's your firstborn."

She bends down and looks at me.

Valda smiles.

"That's Ingrid. Say hi to her."

I wave my hand while pretending to be shy.

"Hello."

Then Ingrid reaches into my face and forces my jaw, looking at my teeth. It happened faster than I could react to the situation. She assesses me at three hundred and sixty degrees as she inspects my entire body.

What? What the fuck? Who does she think she is? She i'm not some kind of cattle! You're on my blacklist from now on! Ingrid Tinn! I wrote it down! Wait until I get my magic back! I'm going to kill you! At the! Your entire clan will fall! I will take care of the elimination of your bloodline! This humiliation will not go unpunished!

My gaze turns to Valda, who wears a forced smile and clenches her fists. Ingrid presses one of the test marbles into my hand and it begins to glow.

She stands up again.

"Everything seems fine. How about talking somewhere else and letting the kids play on their own?"

She pushes her daughter into the wooden toys and building blocks on the floor.

"Play!"

She commands.

I return to my previous position and sit on the floor. When the girl approaches, I offer her a wooden horse which is accepted without any problems.

Valda smiles at me and leaves the room.

"Looks like they're going to be fine..."

The door closes behind them and I turn my attention to the girl. She's still inspecting the wooden horse. I place one of the building blocks on the ground in front of me and give him another.

But the girl drops the horse, all childish interest has vanished from her expression. She turns and runs to the door, pressing her ear against her. I continue to sit amazed in my position.

"Tch! To be forced to do such stupid secret missions. Stealing other people's bloodlines to avoid troubled relationships is just in bad taste."

She turns and turns back to me, pulling out a syringe with a long, nasty needle from her pink dress.

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

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

"It's going to hurt a little bit, so be a man and deal with it."

She takes my hand and I move in reflex. I slapped her hand, causing her to drop the syrinx. Three quick taps with the building block in my hand break the syrinx into tiny pieces.

The girl is just standing there, looking shocked by her broken syringe. I don't waste time and laugh as I look with my stupidest expression at the girl.

"You!"

She comes to me, but I grab her hand. A second and third end try with the same result, so I focus my attention on building a tower with building blocks around me.

The girl steps back and makes three circles around me, looking at me from all sides.

"You! Who are you?"

I clap with my hands.

"Azir! Azir build tall!"

The girl kicks my tower and it collapses.

"Don't mess around! I know you're kidding!"

"Just kidding?"

I put my thumb in my mouth and suck thumb while I'm sorting through the building blocks.

The girl blushes with anger, but then she realizes that the new order of the building blocks has a certain method for it. Luckily, there are lyrics engraved on them.

"Or fuck you!"

Then she starts laughing.

"Oh, I'm beginning to understand. My mom talked about those guys who were hard to control but very skilled. I'm starting to think of it as a challenge. Just wait, I'll make you mine! You're going to be my man!"

She points at me, but then I hear the voices of our mothers returning.

She falls to her knees and picks up the shrapnel from the broken syringe, cutting herself as she picks it up. I just smile as I see her. Never pick up broken glass in a hurry. Then she kicks my message to destroy the evidence.

Ingrid looks into my room.

"Come. The negotiations failed. We're going."