It’s been a year, in terms of time back home that it is. Only, despite what they say in stories like my own, the past year has been incredibly boring. I spent most of my time trying to learn what I could of the language and training these weak baby muscles of mine to walk. I’m still unable to walk down steps safely with a railing or person to hold on to.

Really not all that surprising except apparently most children here take several months more, though I can really say I’m cheating. Both my father and mother are ecstatic and constantly praise my so-called genius. I feel proud and guilty for tricking them, what a pain.

Currently I’m watching the knights of household train in the courtyard while enjoying a picnic with mother. While I can’t understand everything, though I can get the gist of some of it, father is a duke of this country. At least my future is safe for the time being. My name is Astrid, though father and mother call me Mona, after the second name given to me. Oddly enough, my own name was one of the first words I learned because it was relatively similar to English.

The similarities stop there. The language of this country, whose name I still haven’t managed to grasp seeing as it has no word that I can compare it to in English, is similar to perhaps French. However some words have that rough pronunciation of German.

Today is the first time I’m seeing knights training in person and also the first time I’m seeing my brother. Supposedly he’s been gone for the past year to train with my uncle to start learning the swordsmanship of the elves. Yes, this world has elves. I’ve only seen one, my mother’s personal maid. Unlike classic versions of elves, her ears are pointed but they’re a bit different. Almost like a human ear with extra attached to it.

Her hair is also dark green, which threw me off beyond words once I could finally see properly. In some stories and series, odd hair colors happen to be a thing but seeing it in person is something else entirely. Even her eyebrows are green. She could be an odd one, but my gut instinct says green is probably normal. I myself am I part elf, as are both mother and father. We don’t have the hair, but our ears are pointed, though they’re something like a human’s more than an elf.

My eyes have locked onto the knights, there are dwarves among them. Apparently both elves and dwarves are the most common races outside of humans. And there are differences again, which is that they’re only a foot or so shorter than a human and their skin is dark, rough, and more susceptible to body hair. Really, they’re basically another version of humans, even if they tend to be far better built.

I can’t say I was disappointed really, though it was different from what I expected. I heard a cough and looked up to see mother smiling at me. I got lost in thought again, sorry mother. I gave her my best smile and used my pudgy little fingers to grab ahold of the cookie set before me. It wasn’t terribly sweet, but it was still good. I’ve never been one for things sickeningly sweet, though my tastes have changed a tad so these cookies are especially good.

Sadly no chocolate, but still delicious.

Mother’s hand pats my head before ruffling my hair. I don’t understand why we haven’t cut it yet, honestly I’ve never been a fan of my hair being long. Probably doesn’t help that boys back home more often kept theirs short. Maybe they have no one who can safely cut it? I doubt it, maybe it’s a house tradition?

“Mona, dear,” I heard mother giggling, “Your older brother is here.”

I turned around, my mouth still full of cookie, and looked up at her from the cushion I was sat on. Only benefit of these dress-like clothes was that crumbs were easier to brush off. I scrambled to my feet and looked at the boy standing next to mother. He looked to be perhaps three or four years old. Behind him stood an older man. The man looked a lot like father, though his face was a bit sharper and he had a heftier beard.

A cooler looking father? Mother, didn’t you pick the wrong one? Father is nice but this man has that grizzled warrior look, don’t women just die for that? No, wait, mother picked father so maybe mother likes the smarter homelier type? Could it-

The man started laughing and the little boy watched me with wide eyes as I jumped and glared at the man. How rude, don’t laugh at me while I’m thinking. “The kid looks just like you Luciana! She certainly has my brother’s thinking habits though!” My uncle held his stomach as he laughed, the beard shaking in time with his mouth. Ridiculous.

Wait…

“Cute…” I caught the little boy, my brother, muttering and I looked back to mother in shock.

Mother? Mother!? MOTHER!!!!!!!! Am I not a little boy? Sure Astrid isn’t a manly name, and Mona either, but it’s another world for crying out loud! Endros, why would you do this to me? Mother why would you help him!

“Marcus,” mother shook her head as she picked my silent self up from my frozen position. “You’ve scared her! Look at my poor girl,” mother tutted and started rubbing my head as I buried my face in her chest in silence. This world has already forsaken me, I’m not a boy anymore… Not that being a girl is bad, but I’m a boy! I wanted to grow up to fight dragons or villains, an adventure! Girls look cool when they do that, but not to other girls! I am doomed.

Uncle Marcus kept chuckling and I felt a finger poke my foot. I peeked out from my hiding place on mother to see my brother smiling at me widely, “Keo will protect you, sister.” This little boy has no knowledge of my plight but he’s still being sweet. Brother is innocent in this, it would seem. Thank you for your words, my new older brother, but there’s no way you can help me.

Mother patted my head again and I released my grip upon her dress. She slowly set on the ground, gently seeing as I am currently small, before calling out. “Juno?”

The maid that approached was young, maybe a little past ten. Mother’s own maid stood nearby, her watchful eye kept on us throughout this whole ordeal. The maid gave a bow as she approached mother. “Yes madam?”

“Would you keep an eye on the children? Mona and Keo should take time to bond, this is the first time they’ve met after all,” Mother glared at Marcus when his mother opened and the man chuckled sheepishly.

“Of course madam,” Juno said, and once she stood I got a proper look at this maid. Her hair was braided and that atypical brown most people have. She looked fairly average, though her eyes were somewhat obstructed by a large pair of glasses. They have this type of girl here? Finally, a cute maid.

No, I’m obviously not into children but my weakness for cute things seems to have only gotten worse since I got here. Honestly, was I in denial? I was in denial right? I need to pay more attention to myself, I’ve been an idiot.

Keo looked at me wide eyed as I gave a sigh, though perhaps that was less my behavior and more that he was finally meeting me. His sister. It’s going to be awhile before I recover from this. Sister is sorry, brother, but my heart isn’t in this today.