The day Elianna was looking forward to had finally arrived. She felt excited but also nervous. While she was excited to celebrate her birthday and spend it with her friends and family, she couldn't help but be a little nervous about Nicholas. Elianna sat on her vanity chair, staring at her own reflection, with core memories of her fifth birthday coming to mind.

Elianna remembered vividly how alone she felt and how her former friends never came over to spend time with her. Since that birthday, she didn't bother sending invitations to her former friends, and invited only the people she was close to. But today, that was different. She had invited Nicholas and his family, and it would be the first time in years that someone her age had celebrated with her.

"You okay, Sweetie?"

Elianna looked toward the door, seeing her mother walk in, looking at her daughter curiously. Elianna eyed her mother's apparel, a beautiful casual light blue blouse with a sheen that was complimented by her black pants. She had a gorgeous silver necklace around her neck, accompanied by two silver earrings. Her silvery hair was elegantly combed, with a braid on the side. As Elianna gazed at her mother, she thought about how she had always admired how beautiful her mother was.

Elianna's sundress was similar to her mother's: blue with a sheen. A silver silk sash wrapped around Elianna's waist, and she had a small silver necklace clasped around her neck. Her hair remained undone and was a little darker than usual, as she had just recently gotten out of the shower.

Katarina stepped up to stand behind her daughter, noticing her daughter hadn't answered, "Elianna?"

Elianna's eyes flicked up, meeting her mother's gaze, "Hmm?"

"I asked if you're okay?"

"Oh," Elianna said and turned around, looking at her reflection again with a distant gaze. "I'm fine."

Katarina raised a brow, knowing something was bothering her daughter. Her eyes flicked to the side of the vanity, where she saw a hairbrush and Elianna's hair clip. Katarina smiled a little, as she thought of a way to comfort her daughter.

Elianna watched her mother through the mirror as Katarina grabbed the hair brush and gently began to brush Elianna's hair. Elianna smiled a little, as she loved the feeling of her mother helping her with her hair.

As she straightened her daughter's hair, Katarina began to hum a soothing tune she knew her daughter loved, giving the room a peaceful ambiance. "So," Katarina started in a gentle voice. Her eyes flicked up, meeting her daughter's gaze through the mirror. "What's bothering you?"

Elianna looked at her mother for a moment before her eyes fell to her vanity, and she shrugged. "Nothing is bothering me. I'm just a little nervous."

"Nervous about what?"

Elianna was silent for a moment before she spoke, her voice soft, "What if Nick doesn't come?"

Katarina's hand stilled, and her brows raised. She stared at her daughter through the vanity mirror, seeing her downcast gaze. "Why do you think he wouldn't come?"

Elianna shrugged slightly, "I don't know."

Katarina stood there, thinking about what had brought on Elianna's current train of thought. "Is it because of Sarah, Tyler, and Dylan?" Elianna nodded slightly, and Katarina's lips curved in a warm, reassuring smile as she continued to brush her daughter's hair. "Sweetie, look at me." Elianna's eyes flicked up and met her mother's gaze through the mirror. "From what you and your father have told me about Nicholas, he seems like a nice boy. I have no doubts that he will be here. You have nothing to worry about."

Elianna smiled a little, feeling a little better, and nodded. Her smile faded a little, and she looked at her mother inquisitively, "You and Dad talk about Nick?"

Katarina chuckled, "Oh yes." She laid the hairbrush on the vanity before she began manipulating Elianna's hair, creating a small braid on the side of her head. "Your father talks about Nicholas almost as much as you. He's very happy that you two are friends."

"What about you?" Elianna asked. "Are you happy that Nicholas and I are friends?"

Katarina looked at her daughter and smiled. She held her daughter's hair together with one hand while grabbing the hair clip with the other. She placed the hair clip in the braid, keeping it together.

Katarina leaned down, giving her daughter a loving kiss on the top of her head, "I am. And I'm very much looking forward to meeting him." Katarina stepped back and gestured to Elianna to stand up, "Now, come on, your guests should be arriving soon."

Elianna nodded and excitedly stood up from her seat. She closed her bedroom door as she followed her mother into the hallway, and they began to make their way to the entrance hall. As they neared the entrance hall, Elianna and Katarina began to hear a few voices and cheerful laughter.

Elianna and Katarina exited the hallway and entered the upper sitting area above the entrance hall. Elianna looked down over the railing, and her eyes widened with pleasant surprise.

"Uncle Hector!" Elianna chirped.

Lucian, Justine, Hector, and another man Elianna had never met before were standing in the entrance hall and talking in a circle. The four individuals standing in the entrance hall looked up and smiled as their eyes fell on Elianna.

"Hello, little Elle," Hector said with a warm smile.

Elianna cheerfully began to run down the stairs, practically jumping over the last step. She ran up to Hector, and he chuckled as she slammed into him, bringing each other into a hug.

They broke the hug, and Elianna looked at Hector blissfully, "You're here!"

Hector chuckled, "You didn't think I'd miss your birthday, did you?"

Elianna shrugged, "Dad said you've been really busy lately."

Hector nodded, "Perhaps, but we're not too busy to come and celebrate with you."

Elianna beamed with happiness before she looked at Hector curiously, "We?"

Hector smiled and gestured to the man standing beside him, the one Elianna had never seen before, "Elianna, meet my son, Oscar."

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Elianna curiously looked at Oscar, who was tall and muscular. Like his father, Oscar had black hair and brown eyes, but his hair had none of the grayness.

Hector gestured to Elianna, "And Oscar, this is Elianna. Or, Elle, as she likes to be called."

Oscar gave Elianna a friendly smile, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Elle."

Elianna returned his smile, "It's a pleasure to meet you as well."

"I'm glad you could make it, Hector," Katarina said and looked at Oscar. "And it's good to see you again, Oscar."

Oscar smiled and nodded to Katarina, "It's always a delight to see you, Lady Katarina."

"Careful, Oscar," Katarina jestfully said and smirked at Lucian. "My husband might think you're flirting with me and get jealous."

Lucian chuckled, looking at his wife affectionately, "He wouldn't dare." He playfully narrowed his eyes on Oscar, "Right?"

Oscar laughed and shook his head, "Definitely not. I don't have a death wish."

They all chuckled when a knock at the door gained everyone's attention, and they all looked toward it. Augustus casually walked into the room, and Elianna's eyes were eagerly locked on the door as he approached it.

Augustus opened the door and stood to the side, "Greetings, and welcome to the Vail mansion."

Elianna's eyes widened, and her lips curved into a blissful smile as she observed Nicholas standing there in front of his family, with Celine beside him.

Standing behind the two of them was Freya and another figure who had Elianna's eyes widen a little with surprise: Mathew.

Mathew smiled, "Good afternoon; I hope we aren't late."

"Not at all," Lucian greeted, returning Mathew's smile. "Please, come in."

The four of them walked in, and Augustus closed the door behind them.

Hector nodded, "Hello, Mathew, Freya, it's good to see you again."

Mathew and Freya looked at Hector with a little surprise before they smiled. "It's good to see you too, Lieutenant Commander," Mathew said.

"We didn't know you were coming!" Freya said, glad to see Hector. "I thought you'd be busy adventuring."

Hector chuckled, "I'm retired, remember Mathew? It's just Hector now." He looked at Freya, "And Nope." He gestured to Elianna, "I took a break for this little one's birthday."

Mathew, Freya, Celine, and Nicholas followed Hector's gesture, which was when Nicholas noticed Elianna was staring at him with a bright smile.

Nicholas returned her smile and waved, "Hey, Lia. Happy birth-" Nicholas' eyes widened in surprise as Elianna ran up and brought him into a tight hug. Nicholas smiled as he returned the hug, "-day."

Elianna broke the hug, her cheeks a little red, and her lips curved into a jovial smile, "You're here!"

Nicholas chuckled, "Yeah, you did invite me, remember?"

Hector's lips curved into a smile, his eyes darting between Nicholas and Elianna. Of all the years he knew Elianna, he had never seen her smile in such a way with someone her age. He curiously asked, "And who is this?"

Nicholas and Elianna looked up, noticing everyone was looking at them, smiling warmly. The redness on Elianna's cheeks deepened, and she stepped back a little.

Katarina eyed her daughter, seeing she was practically glowing with happiness. And not only that, but she had noticed how her daughter's nervousness and worries had quickly washed away at the mere sight of Nicholas.

Nicholas smiled and gave a slight bow to Hector, "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. I'm Nicholas."

Hector smiled a little humorously, "Well, aren't you well-mannered. I'm Hector, and you don't need to call me sir."

"Hello, Nicholas," Katarina began, giving him a friendly smile. "I'm Katarina, Elianna's mother. But you can just call me Katarina."

Nicholas smiled and gave a slight bow, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Vail."

Katarina's smile widened a little humorously, seeing Nicholas retain his manners with her.

Nicholas then looked at Lucian and nodded, "It's a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Vail."

Lucian also smiled at Nicholas' manners and shared a comical glance with his wife. Mathew and Freya also smiled and shared a glance, seeing how proper their nephew was.

"So," Lucian began, gesturing behind him. "Shall we take this to the dining hall?"

"Please," Celine grumbled, looking down at the white sandals strapped to her feet. She lifted her right foot and rotated her ankle. "It was a horrible idea to wear my new shoes today. They're not broken in yet, and my feet are killing me."

"We best not delay then in order to spare your feet," Lucian chortled and began to make his way to the dining hall.

Everyone chuckled humorously and began to follow Lucian. However, as Nicholas took a step, he was suddenly stopped by someone pulling on the back of his shirt. He curiously looked over his shoulder, seeing Elianna standing there with a smile.

"Everything okay?" Nicholas asked, tilting his head slightly to the side.

Elianna nodded and looked at her mother, "Hey, Mom?"

Katarina stopped and looked at her daughter curiously. Freya had also stopped as everyone else went to the dining room.

"Would it be okay if I showed Nick around the mansion?" Elianna asked.

Nicholas' eyes widened with delight at the idea.

Katarina smiled, "Yes, that's fine." She looked at Freya, "Are you alright with that as well?"

Freya looked at Nicholas, seeing his pleading gaze, and nodded, "Yes, that's okay." She smiled warmly at Nicholas and Elianna, "Have fun."

Elianna beamed with excitement and looked at Nicholas, "We have so many rooms! A Gym! A Game room! A Library! Which one do you want to see first?!"

Nicholas thought for a second before he casually shrugged, "Why don't you pick?"

Elianna hummed for a moment, seeming in thought, before she smiled brightly, "Wanna see the theater? We have a lot of illusionaires!"

Nicholas returned her smile and nodded, "Sure, lead the way!"

"Come on!" Elianna chirped with glee, as she hurried out of the room, and Nicholas followed her.

Katarina smiled warmly, watching Elianna run off. It had felt like ages since she had seen her daughter that cheerful. Lucian had told her how he had noticed how excited and joyful she was to play with Nicholas, but seeing it was different from merely hearing it.

"It's been a long time since I've seen her that happy," Katarina said, warmth in her voice. "Ever since her former friends rejected her, I never thought I would see her smile that brightly again."

Freya nodded, a small smile gracing her lips, and looked at Katarina, "Nicholas didn't have many friends growing up either. I was afraid of how he would fit in when he first arrived here in Tri-Union City."

Katarina looked at Freya inquisitively, "Lucian tells me he is your nephew on your side." Freya's face tightened, and she nodded. Katarina looked in the direction Elianna and Nicholas ran off in, "I'm surprised his father let him come here."

Freya sighed, "He almost didn't. One day, Nicholas reached out to me via telemirror, asking for my help. I was initially surprised since I had no idea he managed to form his core into a circle. So I went to Zasaly and got into a little argument with my brother. He eventually relented and allowed me to bring his son here to train."

Katarina looked at Freya, surprised, "You won an argument against him?"

Freya simply shrugged, "I can put up a good argument when I need to." She smiled humorously, "Plus, I'm still the older sibling, and that'll never change."

Katarina chuckled before she curiously asked, "And has Nicholas adjusted well?"

Freya smiled happily, "He has. Especially thanks to Elianna." Freya chuckled, "I still remember when he told us how she liked his drawings. He was very happy to have met her and made a new friend."

Katarina returned her smile, "Yes, Lucian and I are happy they get along as well. Nicholas is always welcome to come over and spend time with Elianna whenever he wants."

Freya smiled gratefully, "I'm sure he will greatly appreciate that and take you up on that offer."

"Are you coming?"

Freya and Katarina looked toward the voice, seeing Mathew walk in, holding a glass of amber liquid.

Katarina humorously raised a brow, "Lucian already opened the liquor cabinet, I see."

Mathew looked at the glass in his hand and shrugged, "Who am I to deny a good glass of whiskey."

Freya sighed and smiled at Katarina, "Shall we go and make sure the boys aren't getting into trouble."

Katarina returned Freya's smile, "We shall."

"Trouble?" Mathew scoffed. "What kind of trouble can we get into?"

Freya and Katarina gave Mathew a deadpanned look.

"Boys can become quite rowdy," Freya stated.

"Which always leads to us babysitting them," Katarina chuckled.

Mathew rolled his eyes, "You make us sound like children."

Freya and Katarina laughed a little. Freya approached her husband and gave him a small kiss on the cheek.

Freya smiled lightheartedly, "That's because you boys are children."

Mathew playfully narrowed his eyes on his wife before looking around inquisitively, "Where is Nicholas?"

Freya gestured to where Nicholas and Elianna ran out, "Elianna took Nicholas to explore the mansion."

Mathew nodded, following their gesture, "I hope they're having fun."

Katarina chuckled and smiled, "I'm sure they are."