My hands pressed against my thighs, I sit in the living room next to Reginald after Aurora insisted that he come in as well. He tried to refuse, but Aurora made it clear that she wasn’t giving him an option, so he obliged. I couldn’t even butt in. She really does remind me of mom sometimes, especially that welcoming and good-natured attitude of hers.

Different from usual, Calliope is sitting in my lap while Asher and Aurora sit on opposite sides of the room, staring at me. There seems to be a certain tension between them, only accentuated by the current brief silence, but I can’t quite decipher what the problem is.

I decide to ignore it for now and brush my finger through Calliope’s ash brown hair. “Look at that, it’s gotten longer, hasn’t it?”

She beams, pride lighting up her face. “Because I’ve been taking care of it! Big Sis showed me how to. Do you like it?”

I can’t help but let a tingling warmth fill my heart when she speaks. “I love it! Our Calli is growing up!”

‘Hehe!”

Unable to bear the silence any longer, I turn my attention away from the little girl. “Well-”

“We thought you were dead!” Aurora’s voice cracks as she yells from her corner of the room.

Asher cuts in. “Yeah… the feed from the event suddenly cut, and there was that big announcement from DaiKar, and then we didn’t hear from you for a week...”

Aurora’s trembling hands struggle to hold onto her cup of tea. “Many missing and dead they said, but they refused to tell us who…” She takes a sip, holding back more tears from falling down her cheek. “We asked the representatives here in the city, but we’re just regular people so they refused to tell us anything.”

Her gaze drops to the ground as her grip tightens around her cup. “I… We didn’t know what to do…”

Another silence fills the room, waiting for me to put an end to it.

“I’m…sorry.” The words feel inadequate, but it’s all I can manage.

Asher clenches his fists. “It’s not your fault, obviously, but it’s twice now that we thought you died… and there isn’t a damn thing we can do for you.” His teeth grind. “It’s just so frustrating to sit here in the dark while someone else makes all the decisions..”

Reginald shifts beside me, clearly uncomfortable because of the situation.

Placing her hands at her side, Calliope addresses the twins, as if admonishing them. “I told you he would come back, but you didn’t believe me!” She declares as she takes a small musical trinket out of her pocket, the one I gave her many months ago. “He promised he’d always come back!”

The words hang in the air for a moment as I glance at the trinket, my thoughts momentarily lost. The twins are still frustrated and in emotional turmoil, but even they must admit there’s no argument against that. Even with them, I’ve held that promise without fail.

‘This one always knows what to say.’

I scoff, pat her head and stand up. A long sigh escapes from my mouth as I head toward the door. “I think we all need to get out. Who’s up for a walk? I hear there’s a fair not too far from here.”

Calliope jumps up, eager. “Me!”

Aurora sets her cup of tea down with a soft clink. “Yeah, that’d be nice.”

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Asher heads for his room. “L-Let me change first!” He stammers, before slamming the door shut.

I then look to Reginald who’s been oddly quiet all this time. “Wanna come?”

He hesitates for a moment, looking somewhat startled. “O-Of course, Lord!”

----------------------------------------

Aurora holds Calliope’s hand as we walk down the long lines of street vendors and move through the crowd. Reginald trails behind us while Asher’s pace is slightly faster, marching a few steps ahead. I noticed when we left the apartment, but it’s even more apparent now, he’s dressed strangely… too nicely for this.

“It’s been on my mind since earlier, but what’s up with him? He’s been fidgety since earlier.” I ask Aurora, curious.

She glances at him and waves her hand dismissively. “He’s got a crush on this girl in our class and apparently she’s supposed to be a vendor here this weekend? I don’t know.”

‘So that’s why we haven’t stopped anywhere yet.’

I suppose it’s not that strange for Asher to be interested in girls his age, he is fifteen after all. “He’s at that age I guess.” I glance at him again, now wishing I had helped him style his hair before leaving.

Aurora scoffs and nudged my shoulder “So are you, mister.” She teases “How’s Sylvia?”

Her question catches me off guard, can I can’t help the contortion of my face. What happened during the event replays in mind, her broken body laying against a tree, the beast standing over her, and everything else comes surging like a torrent. Uncontrollably, my expression turns somber and I clench my fists. “...She’s okay.” I manage to say, but my voice is far too flat.

Aurora seems taken aback by the shift in my mood. “S-sorry. That was insensitive, I shouldn’t have asked…”

I take a long breath and relax my hands. “Nah, it’s okay.” I force a smile, turning to her, trying to ease the unpleasant atmosphere I’ve created. “What about you? Does my little sister have someone she’d want to tell me about?”

She jumps. “N-no!” Her hand squeezes Calliope’s.

“You’re holding my hand too tight! You’re going to hurt yourself!” Calliope exclaims.

“Ah, S-sorry Calli!” Aurora replies, quickly releasing her grip.

‘No way..’

I’m shocked. It had to happen eventually, but I didn’t think it’d be now. I expected it for Asher, but I was convinced Aurora only loved books and pastries. I have to admit it, my siblings really are growing up. A smile creeps up my lips. “So there is someone?” I tease, poking her shoulder. “Is it someone from your class?”

Her cheeks redden, and I have my answer. “So it is?! Should I ask Asher?”

“NO!!” She shrieks.

“Ashe-”

She covers my mouth, but before I can remove her hand, Asher turns around and slicks his hair backward nervously. “Alright, we’re here.” He looks over his shoulder at a young vendor with her auburn hair tied in a bun behind her head, a chef’s apron, and sweat dripping down her forehead. He clears his throat, clearly trying to calm his nerves. “Just… be cool, alright?” He tells us.

‘Are you telling us or yourself…’

Of course I don’t say that aloud. I can only imagine how nervous he is, but this promises to be good.

Thankfully, the line isn’t long, maybe because the event is just starting, so it’s our turn relatively quickly. All four of us stand back, and watch as Asher makes the order. The girl’s face lights up as soon as she sees my brother.

“Asher!? I thought you said you wouldn’t be able to come!”

“Haha… well something happened and I was able to come after all.” He says, scratching the back of his neck, a nervous laugh escaping him.

She glances toward us. “Hey Aurora! How’s it going?”

Aurora does not seem… that enthusiastic seeing her, strangely enough. “Hi Piper.”

Asher clears his throat and introduces the rest of us. He stars with Calliope. “That’s my little sis, Calliope and-”

“But everyone calls me Calli!” She adds brightly, interrupting Asher.

Piper laughs, binding slightly to meet her gaze. “Nice to meet you Calli.”

Asher resumes, clearly trying to rush through the awkwardness. “-Yeah, and this is my older brother, Alden. He’s here on a short break from the academy.”

She had been laid back until now, but she seems nervous when Asher finishes introducing me, perhaps understanding what Asher meant by ‘the Academy’ or already knowing beforehand. Either way, her smile turns awkward as she extends a hand. “I-It’s nice to meet you, [enlightened] Alden… sir!”

‘Reginald, and now her… is this common?‘

I shake her outstretched hand and smile. “Just Alden is fine.” I say, before she hurriedly turns her attention back to Asher.

They have a short conversation despite Asher’s clumsy attempt at extending it, and he ends up ordering five of the beef brochettes she cooks on her sizzling grill. She impales meat, as well as various cooked vegetables onto the stick and lathers them in a thick sauce. The whole thing is rather simple, but just the smell from it makes my mouth water.

When she’s finished, Asher retrieves his order and hands one to each of us, a dejected expression on his face.

As we slowly walk away from the stand, he moves with a slump, dragging his feet.

‘We all go through this…’

When I’m on the verge of patting his back to console him, Piper shouts from the stand.

“Asher! My dad is supposed to come later to take over the stand, maybe we can walk around for a bit then?”

My brother’s face lights up, and a wide grin covers his face as he whips around to look at her. “S-sure!!” He manages to say, almost failing to believe what he heard.

Piper then waves goodbye and we leave the stand, Asher nearly skipping beside us.

I slap his back. “Look at you. Someone would think you won the lottery.”

The only answer I get is an even wider sneer and I roll my eyes.

I guess it was a good idea to come after all.