Henry watched over his sleeping family, his heart heavy with the trials they had faced that day. Lisai had finally succumbed to sleep after the argument with Kvolt, the tears drying on her face. Nessa was curled up beside her, her small body trembling occasionally with residual sobs.

And Kvolt...his strange and brilliant son, now locked in his room, no doubt brooding over the day's events. Henry could only imagine what was going through the boy's mind, the doubts and fears that must haunt him.

With a sigh, Henry rose and walked to the window, gazing out into the moonless night. His mind turned to Gregory's offer, his friend's words echoing in his ears.

"Think of the money we could make from this, Henry. You could finally give your family the life they deserve."

It was tempting, so tempting. With the money from a job like that, they could leave the constant struggles behind, the daily fight to put food on the table. They would no longer have to worry about patched clothes or carefully rationed portions.

And Nessa... his sweet and brave little girl. With proper resources, perhaps they could find a Healer willing to help her, to alleviate some of her struggles.

Henry had heard stories of miraculous cures performed by practitioners of magic, most famously of the renowned Solaris clan - broken limbs mended, illnesses eradicated with a simple touch. Would it be too much to ask for a bit of that magic for his daughter?

The whispers of the villagers, the veiled accusations, hovered in his mind. They had haunted Henry since Kvolt's birth. He knew they were more than just idle gossip.

Perhaps, with enough money, they could leave all of that behind. They could move to a distant city, start anew in a place where no one knew their names or pasts. A place where Kvolt and Nessa could grow free from judgment and suspicion, where they could shape their own destinies.

With each thought, Gregory's offer became more enticing. The risks seemed to diminish in the face of potential reward. And after all, was it not his duty as a father to do whatever was necessary to protect and provide for his family?

His decision made, Henry cast one last look at his sleeping wife and daughter before silently gathering his cloak and slipping out the door. The night enveloped him, cold and comforting, as he followed the familiar path to Gregory's guard post.

His friend was exactly where Henry expected to find him, leaning against the stone wall of the guardhouse, his relaxed posture belying the keen eyes that scanned the deserted streets. He straightened as Henry approached, a knowing smile spreading across his face.

"Henry," he greeted, his voice low but filled with emotion. "I had hoped to see you tonight. Tell me, have you considered my offer?"

Henry nodded, the action making it seem as if a great weight had settled upon his shoulders. "I've given it much thought, Gregory. And I've decided...I'll do it. For my family."

Gregory's grin widened, his teeth gleaming in the torchlight. "A wise decision, my friend. You won't regret this, I promise."

He stepped closer, placing a hand on Henry's shoulder. "Listen, we're scheduling the drop for fourteen nights from now. That will give you enough time to put your affairs in order, spend some time with your family before we leave. Just don't tell them. It's better that way," Gregory smiled.

Henry hesitated, but Gregory was right, he did not want to lose his job, but there was no way out -- And it would be easier for everyone if they did not know the details.

"A few days away won't hurt," he agreed reluctantly. "I'll tell them I was assigned a task in the city."

He squeezed Henry's shoulder, his grip reassuring. "You're doing the right thing, Henry. Trust me. Soon, all your worries will be a distant memory."

Gregory winked then, a glint passing through his eyes. "Besides, this isn't the first secret we've kept together, is it? If it weren't for me, everyone would know your beloved Lisai came from a family of Deprived and that she was a slave."

Henry wheeled on him, alarmed. "Shh! Don't say that out loud!"

Gregory let out a low chuckle. "Relax, my friend. Your secret is safe with me, as it always has been. Just as this job will be. Nothing is going to go wrong, not with you and I involved."

He gave Henry's back one final pat before stepping away. "Now go, enjoy this time with your family. I'll take care of the details and let you know when it's time."

With a final wave, Gregory melted into the night, leaving Henry alone with his troubled thoughts. Even as he returned home and lay down beside his sleeping wife, his friend's words continued to echo in his mind.

"You're doing the right thing, Henry. Nothing is going to go wrong."

Henry tried to cling to those words, to use them to calm the growing apprehension in his stomach. But even as he slipped into a restless sleep, a small voice persisted, whispering doubts he could not entirely silence.

In the weeks that followed, Henry threw himself into his duties with renewed vigor, working long hours and picking up extra shifts whenever he could. He told Lisai he was saving for their future, perhaps even for a move to a larger city where the children would have more opportunities.

If she suspected any ulterior motive, she said nothing. There was only a quiet acceptance in her eyes, mixed perhaps with a flicker of long-forgotten hope.

On the rare occasions he was not working, Henry devoted himself to his family with an intensity that bordered on desperation. He played with Nessa and helped her with her chores. He trained with Kvolt, teaching him more advanced sword moves and sharing tales of his own youth as a guard.

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During those times, Henry couldn't help but marvel at his son's intellect. Kvolt never ceased to surprise him with ideas for more efficient, lightweight, and easy-to-wield tools. The boy had an eye for inventions far beyond his years.

One day, Kvolt summoned him to the workshop. There, strewn across the workbench, were various tools in varying stages of completion.

"Henry, look at this," Kvolt said, picking up a shovel. "I modified the angle of the blade and lengthened the handle. This should allow for better leverage and less back strain during prolonged use."

Henry took the tool, admiring the perfect balance. The handle fit comfortably in his hands, the polished wood smooth to the touch. He gave a few practice swings, surprised by the ease with which the blade cut into the earth.

"This is impressive, son," he said, genuinely awed. "I would never have thought to make these adjustments, but I can see how it would make a huge difference during long hours in the field."

Kvolt beamed, pleased by the praise. "I'm also working on a new hoe," he said, holding up another tool. "I adjusted the angle of the head to penetrate the soil more easily, and added a hook on the back to help clear roots and rocks."

Again, Henry was struck by the super mind of the boy. His son...he was a genius, someone ahead of his time. If he only had the resources...

Henry then picked up a smooth piece of wood, with carefully etched markings at regular intervals.

"I call this a ruler," Kvolt explained, running his finger along the markings. "It can be used for making precise measurements. See, the distance between each mark is exactly the same, based on the length of a pendulum that oscillates with a constant period. I call this unit a 'meter' and 'centimeter'."

Henry nodded examining it closely. The markings were indeed perfectly spaced, each one etched with a precision that rivaled the finest craftsmen he had ever seen.

"Centimeter, huh?" he murmured, testing the word. "How did you come up with that?"

Kvolt's eyes shone with enthusiasm as he began to explain. "See, Henry, a pendulum is essentially a weight suspended by a string or rod that can swing back and forth. The time it takes to complete one full oscillation, called its period, depends on the length of the pendulum."

He grabbed a length of string and tied a rock to the end, creating an improvised pendulum.

"I conducted experiments with pendulums of different lengths until I found one that oscillated with a constant period, regardless of its amplitude. Aurora calculated—I mean, I calculated that the length of a pendulum that completes one oscillation in exactly one second is about this distance." He indicated the space between two marks on the ruler.

"Based on that, I defined the meter as the length of a pendulum with an oscillation period of approximately 0.5 seconds. It's a unit of measurement based on a universal physical constant, which makes it very precise and reproducible."

Henry shook his head, a feeling of pride swelling in his chest. He could barely comprehend the principles behind his son's measurement system, but he could appreciate its ingenuity.

"Second..." Henry muttered as his head started to throb from the madness his son invented. He left Kvolt there, doing what a genius did best. He had no reason to doubt when his son smacked his mind with so many innovations.

And, every night, he held Lisai close, memorizing the scent of her skin and the sound of her breathing. He whispered words of love and promises of a brighter future, even as his heart clenched with the guilt of his unspoken secrets.

Through it all, Gregory was a constant presence, always lurking with an encouraging smile or reassuring word. He assured Henry that the preparations were going smoothly, that his contacts were ready and waiting.

Henry clung to those assurances like a drowning man clings to a piece of driftwood. They were his lifeline, the only thing keeping him sane as he navigated this web of half-truths and illusions.

And then, as sudden and as inevitable as a summer storm, the day of departure arrived. Henry woke before dawn, his stomach roiling in a tangle of anticipation and dread. He dressed, bade his family farewell, and set out.

It was for them he was doing this, he reminded himself. For them and the children.

With one last look back, he rose and slipped out the door, his steps carrying him through the silent streets to the prearranged meeting point on the village outskirts. Gregory was already there, along with half a dozen other men Henry vaguely recognized as members of the guard.

"Henry!" Gregory greeted, his smile too wide, his eyes feverishly bright. "Are you ready for this, my friend? Ready to change your life?"

Henry nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He mounted the horse offered to him, adjusting his sword and cloak. Around him, the other men did the same, their postures nervously excited.

At a yell from Gregory, they set off, the horses' hooves clattering on the cobblestone streets. Henry did not look back as they rode out of the village, not even as they passed the familiar fields where he had worked and played all his life.

His focus was ahead, on the indistinct horizon where where the sister stars, Azur and Afer, were just beginning to streak the sky with pinks and golds. There lay his destiny, his future - a chance to finally give his family the life they deserved.

As they put distance between themselves and the village, Gregory drew near to Henry, keeping his voice low so that only he could hear over the sound of the hoofbeats.

"So, here's the plan," he said. "We're going to meet up with some acolytes at the old abandoned farmstead to the west of here. They'll be the ones with the cargo."

Henry felt a chill run through his body at the mention of acolytes. He knew they were apprentices of magic, individuals who possessed abilities beyond a commoner's understanding. The thought of involving himself with such people left him profoundly uncomfortable.

"Acolytes?" he whispered, unable to hide the tremor in his voice. "You never mentioned anything about working with magic users, Gregory."

His friend laughed, waving away his concerns with a casual motion. "Relax, Henry. They're just our employers. We pick up their cargo and take it north, to the pointy-eared ice folk. They're the real buyers."

Henry frowned, trying to recall what he knew of the northern people. They were a reclusive race, rarely seen. It was said they had an unnatural affinity for cold and snow, and practiced a form of magic unlike any other known in Arcanis Evernus.

"Why do they want Elun?" he asked, his curiosity momentarily overriding his fear. "How could they use it?"

Gregory shrugged, seemingly indifferent. "Who knows? Maybe they use it for their strange magical rituals. Or maybe they just like to have a good time like the rest of us. The point is, they're willing to pay good money for it."

He looked at Henry, his grin widening. "And that money will soon be ours, my friend. Think of what you can do with your share. Think of how you can change Lisai and the children's lives."

Henry nodded slowly, the mention of his family strengthening his resolve. This was for them. All of this was for them.

"You're right, Gregory," he said, the tone gaining strength. "I am doing the right thing. For my family."

Gregory clapped Henry on the shoulder, his grip firm and reassuring. "Of course you are. You're a good man, Henry. A good husband and father. They're lucky to have you."

The words were like a balm for Henry's troubled soul, soothing his doubts and fears. He clung to them like a talisman, repeating them silently like a mantra.

"I am a good man. I'm doing the right thing. This is for my family."

With that thought, he spurred his horse to go faster, eager to put as much distance as possible between himself and the life he was leaving behind. Ahead, the horizon beckoned, a promise of a brighter future unfolding with each beat of the hooves.

And with that silent vow, Henry rode away.