"I will," Seraphine promised, her voice muffled against her mother's shoulder. "I swear it, Mother. I will come home."
The other wives moved forward as well, each taking turns embracing the daughters.
The farewell stretched on for nearly twenty minutes, each wife needing time with each daughter, saying everything that needed to be said, offering final advice and words of love.
Finally, when the daughters had been properly blessed and advised, the wives turned to Julian.
The atmosphere shifted, becoming somehow more intimate.
Regina stepped forward first. She placed both hands on his chest, looking up at him with eyes that held years of love and worry.
"Bring them back," she said, her voice low and intense. "Bring our daughters back safely. That's all I ask."
"I will," Julian promised, covering her hands with his own. "I swear it to you."
