I am, on a quest.

A quest, to capture stars.

I know it sounds crazy, but I made a promise to young boy named Alfred that I would catch one for him before his birthday. Tick tock, my time is running out. Armed with nothing but my bow and quiver, and my satchel, I set on my journey.

Well, at least, I was about to.

"Arthur?" A sleepy voice called out to me.

"Shhh, go back to sleep," I said in a hushed voice, ready to step out the window.

"What are you," the voice yawned, "doing?"

I sighed, stepping off the ledge and walked over to his bedside. I placed my hands on my hips. "Go back to sleep."

The boy yawned again, sat up, rubbed his eyes and grasped for his glasses by the nightstand. He nimbly put them on, and he lit up his star-decorated night lamp. "Does mom know where you're going?" He asked, ruffling his own blonde hair and looked at me groggily.

"Must I repeat myself, boy?" I asked impatiently, voice still hushed, folding my arms across my chest. Cerulean eyes stared petulantly at me, and I watched the fire of determination fight the sleepy haze, but it did not completely dissipate.

"No," my baby brother spoke, "but if you don't tell me where you're heading I'm going to tell mom."

I frowned at him. "I'm heading to the star gates," I relented, sitting on my bed opposite the younger's. "After venturing to the land of the faes, I talked to a few sprites, gained myself a few favors. I knew my friendship with them should turn out beneficial sometime."

Alfred and I share the same room. I suppose it was any typical children's room, with two beds, two night stands, two cabinets for our basic wardrobe, scattered toys and two chests that kept most of our belongings - but it was rather remarkably spacious, with high ceilings and walls largely decorated by its occupants. Alfred and I took it upon ourselves to paint the walls and the ceiling of our chambers, most of our walls are filled with knights against dragons, merfolk taunting the pirates of the high seas, and other tales that spoke wonders beyond the common.

I hear a scuffle outside our walls. I tossed my bow and quiver under the bed before Alfred could ask questions, and jumped back to bed in a sleeping position. I covered myself with my blanket, hugging my satchel close to my chest as the door swung open.

"Alfred dear, why are you up?" My mother yawned, well in her night robes, flicking the lights on. The young boy grinned brightly at her, jumped out of his bed and ran to give her a hug. "Arthur and I are going on an adventure!"

"Adventure dear?"

"Mhm! We're on a quest to find the star gates! Arthur asked help from the faes and he'll go and capture me a star!" I rolled my eyes while under the sheets. Really, he's so hopeless. He can't keep his excitement to himself. Perhaps that's why he's my brother.

Mother laughed - an airy, carefree laugh - hugged the little boy, and planted a kiss onto my brother's forehead. "I'm sure you are. But Arthur needs to rest," mother said, lifting Alfred up and spinning him around before laying him on his bed, "And so do you. So be a good lad, and rest as well. Good night," And soon, the lights are flicked off and the door shut behind my mother. I rose from my bed to give my brother a slap to the backside of his head.

"Ow!"

"Are you daft? Why'd you have to tell mum?"

"And why wouldn't I?!"

"Shh, lower your voice." I remarked in a heated whisper, sitting on his bedside and letting myself flop on my back, landing on his lap. I closed my eyes and waited for the begging to ensue. "You'll let me come, right? Oh please please please, let me come with you, Arthur!" There we go. "I'll be good, I promise!" He said in a heated whisper, pushing the bangs off my forehead. I laughed, opening up my eyes and rising to my feet. "Well, there's no swaying you, is there?" I asked, hands on my hips again.

"Nope!" He chirped back.

"Then pack up, bring your essentials, and let's start walking. I have an appointment to keep."

oOoOo

"Say Alfred," I whispered, grasping the wooden frame of our large window overlooking the gardens. We'll climb down the vines and reach out to the branches of the trusted apple tree, and swing to the grass where we'll land our feet. I can do this fairly agilely, having done this before, but I may have to catch Alfred when he makes the jump. Before we made our climb, I asked the young lad curiously, "you 've always loved listening to my stories. Aren't you a little too old for them?"

"Are you ever too old for your adventures?" Alfred shot back, donning on an aviator cap with goggles over it.

I grinned, having grasped a sturdy vine.

"Never."

Hello! This is my first work here, so please, be nice. c: Constructive criticism could really help me out a lot, btw, so please give me reviews! I haven't fully decided where I want this story is heading, but a few things you should know.

- Arthur is fourteen and Alfred is turning ten on his birthday.

- Alfred's voice pitch is higher than Arthur's, obviously because he's younger. It's also more vibrant, childish, and beaming full of light, whereas Arthur's voice is reserved, thoughtful. His spunk shows more in his eyes than in his words.

- Arthur's satchel contains his favorite book, a potion of luck, a handful of fairy dust, a bar of chocolate, a few golden coins, and a warm fuzzy blanket. Oh, and his favorite brew of tea, packed away in an insulated container. Alfred's backpack contained a rope, a compass, sandwiches, a bottle of water, a laser pointer, two cans of soda, and his courage patch that he got from Arthur.

- Their mother's name is Elea. She used to read fairy tale books to her kids, until Arthur came up with colorful tales of his own and started narrating it to them instead. She sees no harm in indulging her children in fantasy stories, but often warns that they do not know what is actually out there and must be careful still. She also bakes the most wonderful cookies, which they usually snack upon after the boys wore themselves out with making forts, painting, and re-enacting Arthur's "adventures".

- Their house has the most beautiful garden of pink lilies to which Elea and the boys care for.

- Their father is long gone into the war. They haven't seen him in a long time. Alfred's aviator cap is a gift from his father, together with the goggles.

- I imagine this story has a sort of a Peter Pan-y setting, but not specifically in that AU.

That is all for now. TBC? c: