When one wakes up and opens their eyes, it's impossible not to set the mind interpreting the material world around us. It's also unlikely that we'll stop, even if we rationalize it, because the simple act of doing so is, well, putting into practice what we try to avoid. The only way I believe that would put an end to any process of semiosis is death, but it's not the only thing it would put an end to. It would take away laughter, love, desire, sadness, resentment, and happiness that come and go on different scales, like a moving train stopping at different stations named feelings.

"What is semiosis?" Eleuteria asked, after reading the first paragraph of the prologue of the book "The Mannequin".

"It's a pretty difficult concept to explain," Henry responded, half asleep.

"But what is it?" Eleuteria asked again, continuing to read the prologue.

"That's why I took the trouble to write the footnotes," he replied, struggling to get up from the couch. "My damn head hurts, everything seems to be spinning in the room."

"You used a lot of magical energy to seal Elisheba. Plus, I'm too lazy to go to the last pages just to know the meaning of one word," she said, flipping through the book pages disinterestedly.

"I don't have time for silly questions like that," he replied gruffly, trying not to lose his balance as he walked towards Beatriz, who was resting on the front seat.

"I was very intrigued that this novel bore your name. I didn't know that the great army-destroying drakontos had now become a novelist," she said, closing the book and leaving it beside her on the couch.

Henry ignored her and just muttered to himself, "Why am I the only one with this terrible headache?" He held his head in his hands, avoiding pieces of debris from the ceiling.

"This body doesn't have much magical energy, so the vast majority was supplied by you," Eleuteria replied, getting up and approaching Henry to help him walk. "You look like a newborn taking your first steps," she chuckled, clinging to the man with horns by the arm.

"How can you be so cheerful at a time like this? My family is shattered, I don't know how I'll face the others..." He let himself fall to his knees, piercing pieces of wood into his leg and tearing his black pants with white stripes.

"Are you crazy!? Come on, get up," she said, pulling him to his feet; it was an effort in vain.

"I always thought Eliza was the real Elisheba because she was the first one, I saw when I woke up. The most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Plus, the tree wasn't there anymore, it had disappeared. However, she told me that we met at the store and that Beatriz was my daughter because the tree was still there, and there was no other source of energy but me, so that seed produced by Elisheba had to be my daughter," Henry said as he looked at Beatriz's sleeping face.

"What you're saying doesn't make much sense, really. How is it that the great tree is in Eliza's version, but not in yours? Is one of you lying?" Eleuteria opined, giving up on trying to lift Henry.

"And if both of you are telling the truth," said a voice that Henry knew very well.

"Ceache?" Henry said, seeing the figure of the military woman appear from the entrance connecting to the grand hall. "Who is she?" he asked, seeing Ceache carrying a woman with one hand.

"She's someone I found trying to enter your study, a thief is what she is," she said, releasing the collar of the strange young woman's coat and letting her fall to the ground.

"I just wanted you to sign my favorite novel," she said, taking out a book from her coat that had "The Mannequin" written on the cover and underneath H. Frank.

"I don't have time for this. Besides, that book is a first edition with very few copies that were given to nobles. I have one in my study, it's clear that you stole it from me," he said angrily, approaching her to snatch the book away.

The woman held the book to her chest in a clear gesture to protect it. Henry ordered Ceache to snatch it from her, and as she was about to do so, the woman spoke up:

"It's mine, it's the only clue I have to find out who I really am," she said firmly, raising her head to look him in the eyes.

He knew that passionate gaze well.

"Are you Rosa?"

"Does Henry know her?" Ceache asked.

"Yes, but I attended her funeral!" he responded, shocked, still staring up and down at the young woman called Rosa and added excitedly, "This is not possible!"

"Well, believe it!" shouted a woman behind Ceache.

"Sister, don't be rude, after all, we made this long journey just to talk to him," added a young man with a tail and canine ear.

Ceache turned around and angrily shouted, "I told you there would be consequences!" She charged at them with a murderous fury.

Both of them went on guard and drew their white weapons.

"WAIT, CEACHE! They are my guests from now on," he exclaimed, putting his hands to his head, the shock had increased his headache. Ceache stopped abruptly and made the salute she used to do when she heard Henry's orders. The two strangers changed their postures, but did not sheath their weapons, still mistrusting Ceache.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"You can put away your weapons. Make yourselves at home, although right now, as you can see," he gestured with open hands, showing the state of the living room. "We're not in very good condition for a cup of tea."

Eleuteria analyzed them from head to toe and reached a conclusion about the visitors that she quickly communicated to her beloved Henry. She approached him and pulled his sleeves to get his attention.

"That woman is dangerous," she whispered near Henry's ear.

The young aristocrat didn't respond, but decided to take her word and be extremely cautious with his new guest.

"Rosa, get up and take a seat wherever you like," he said to the bewildered woman who had just woken up.

The woman got up and brushed the wood splinters off her coat, then walked over to sit in one of the armchairs. Her eyes fell on the book that Eleuteria had been reading moments before. She took it with both hands and ran her hand over the embossed cover.

"That's a later edition," Henry said, seeing her feeling out the book. "Wait a moment, I'll be right back."

Without any explanation, Henry began to walk towards the hall. He locked eyes with the black-haired woman with a decidedly unfeminine expression and with the carefree-faced canine young man. Finally, he left the living room, and in the absolute silence, his footsteps could be heard fading away slowly.

"Who are you?" Beatriz asked, who had just woken up from the commotion.

"That's what I want to know, that's why I'm here," Rosa replied.

"I just found out," she said, pointing her hands towards the huge hole letting in sunlight into the mansion.

"I'm glad," Rosa replied, not paying much attention to the topic.

The two strangers were still standing by the entrance to the living room. The young man looked around the place amazed by the luxury, while the woman kept an eye on Ceache, who was leaning against the wall, staring into nothingness. On the other hand, Eleuteria, walked away from the living room towards the dining room without saying a word.

"That book," Rosa pointed to the book in her hands, "is my favorite, it was written by the person I love most in this world."

Beatriz sat up, and the blanket covering her fell to the ground revealing her completely naked body. Rosa quickly averted her eyes, embarrassed. In contrast, the woman stopped looking at Ceache and turned to see Beatriz's naked back; she was fascinated by the porcelain color of her skin.

"What happened here?" Rosa asked, trying to hide her embarrassment as she contemplated the huge hole in the ceiling.

"The deception materialized in reality," she replied, turning her eyes back to the worn-out ceiling.

"What do you mean?" Rosa inquired, confused, still not taking her eyes off the ceiling.

She ignored her and stood up from the couch without covering herself. Rosa felt embarrassed and made an effort not to look at her naked. Meanwhile, the other woman watched her with lust, while the young man seemed to be planning something malicious as he looked into the living room. Suddenly, footsteps from the grand hall indicated Henry's return. Ceache turned towards him as he entered the room, as did the three guests and the naked Beatriz.

Henry approached Beatriz with robe and clothes. But she rushed towards him in a hug and said, "Thank you for getting me out of there. I spent many years crying and begging for help, but you were the only one who listened to me."

"Sorry for being such an idiot, can you forgive me?" Henry responded, not letting go of the clothes.

Rosa intervened, taking the clothes from Henry's hands. He nodded gratefully and returned Beatriz's embrace. His manly hands rested on her soft skin as she leaned against his chest with force, as if trying to hold onto him just for herself, at least for that moment.

"Now that everything is cleared up, I must apologize to Eliza. We got caught up in misunderstandings. But why didn't you ever tell me you were Elisheba?" he asked, stroking her head.

"I lost track of who I was, I was reborn as a seed of Fidonia, and those ancient memories and pains were blocked and faded in my mind. In the end, it seemed as if I had never been a tree," she said as she caressed Henry's back.

" What do you mean when you say they faded away?" he inquired, showing confusion in his words.

"Do you remember the story you told me about Sargonas and how he had enchanted you?" Beatriz asked.

"A drakontos' mind doesn't resemble that of a human. I went through countless months of suffering; I was on the brink of madness. I wish I had had the ability to forget, and yet, I still have nightmares," Henry affirmed, his voice pained.

"My memories faded away, as if the earth had swallowed them that night, and they returned suddenly when my mind broke completely with Ceache's kiss. Fortunately, my daughters' energy prevented the seal from breaking immediately, giving them the time needed to seal me again."

"I'm sorry," he apologized again. Beatriz overlooked his apologies, but accepted them with some back pats, then continued, "She was determined. She devised a plan and took that seed, mixing it with the other eight she had in her pocket. She hid me, thinking that would keep me safe while she carried out her plan."

"I don't understand," Henry said, his voice faltering.

"She intended to blackmail you."

"Eliza thought you were my daughter?"

"Yes. But when she took you outside to prevent her other sisters from seeing you, you woke up. Before Eliza could say anything, you said..."

"'Elisheba, you are so beautiful,'" Henry responded, recalling that night.

"That's right, the rest is history. She took advantage of you until today just to keep us safe, but my love for you destroyed her lies."

"She always believed that you were my daughter," he said, hugging her tighter and bursting into tears of happiness upon discovering that she was not his daughter and that he could continue loving her as he did. "She took advantage of you that night."

"In reality, it was consensual. I was carried away by her beauty. It's my fault," he countered, distressed, rubbing his eyes with his right hand to wipe away the tears, as he looked at the beam of light that crossed the room.

"She deceived you, but you always believed she was Elisheba. It wouldn't be surprising if that night a seed had emerged, since the Fidonias cannot conceive children; that's why they are the perfect slaves," she continued, caressing his back silently for several seconds before concluding, "You both deceived each other."

"But when I returned to the place to see the tree, it wasn't there anymore..."

"The tree disappeared, but not that night or the next. You chose to believe in Eliza and deceived yourself again, out of fear of failure. But, in reality, you saved us all."

"I would like you to know that everyone is fine. Before coming here, I went to the garden to make sure they were safe. They were all still unconscious, so I left them in Brínea's care," Henry said, trying to change the subject, feeling embarrassed because she hit the nail on the head.

"I know, I can feel them all just like every flower in the garden," Beatriz replied, giving him some pats on the back, as if thanking him, and added, "That girl is very brave, to say what she said in such a dangerous moment."

"Whose fault do you think all this is?" Eleuteria asked, carrying a tray with a teapot and three teacups with their respective spoons, as well as a sugar bowl.

"Everyone's and no one's," Beatriz responded decisively.

"What does that mean!?" Eleuteria asked, raising her voice.

The room was in complete silence, allowing the others to hear the conversation of the hugging couple clearly. However, Eleuteria raised her voice due to her anger with Beatriz.

"Exactly that," Beatriz replied, suddenly moving away from Henry. "The same thing you've always wished for many years."

"Survive?" Eleuteria said, somewhat doubtfully.

"Love," Beatriz corrected, taking the robe from Rosa's hands to put it on. She then approached Eleuteria and took the tea tray from her hands while she was still processing her response. "That's my job, I'm a servant of the mansion."