The sun rose lazily over Tierwyn, casting golden ribbons of light through the villa's tall arched windows. Warm rays kissed the polished marble floors, making them gleam, while a gentle breeze carried the perfume of blooming gardenias from the courtyard. The distant hum of the waking city drifted in through half-open balcony doors, faintly mingling with birdsong.
Downstairs, the villa was wrapped in the smell of fresh bread, roasted meat, and sweet fruit. Kenshin sat halfway through a leaning tower of pancakes, syrup clinging to his fingers as he chewed with a lazy grin. Seme sat cross-legged on a chair, sipping a steaming cup of sharp mint and earthy herbs that made her nose wrinkle between sips. Drathan strolled in last, still stretching, dark hair tousled, catching sunlight like strands of ink.
Mira flitted between the table and kitchen with her tail swaying, placing plates before her younger siblings. They wore crisp, too-large clothes, their laughter ringing bright as they tore into buttered bread. Mira watched them like a hawk, yet her smile was soft, a glimmer of relief loosening the tension that had lived in her shoulders for years.
Aelira and Velra joined them briefly, their sharp postures and crisp uniforms making them look like war banners among cushions. Over breakfast, chatter wove through the room: stories, teasing, planning, laughter, and the constant crackle of the hearth. The table became a battlefield of plates and crumbs, mugs fogging the air with spiced steam.
Eventually, Aelira rose, pushing her chair back with a soft scrape. "As lovely as this chaos is, I have a city to run."
Velra stood too, brushing crumbs from her jacket. "And I've got reports to drown in. Try not to cause trouble while I'm gone."
"No promises," Kenshin said with his mouth full of eggs.
They left through the tall gates, boots tapping marble before fading into the city's hum. The villa grew quiet again, full of soft domestic warmth.
Mira looked at her siblings. "I wanna take them shopping today. Get 'em proper clothes… toys… something normal."
Seme raised a brow. "Spoilin' 'em already."
"They earned it," Mira said gently.
Drathan stretched, sunlight tracing the lines of his frame. "Do it. Let 'em remember what being kids feels like."
Kenshin slapped the table lightly, making plates jump. "Aight, let's split. Me? I'm taggin' along with Mira and her lil' chaos crew."
Seme rolled her eyes. "You just wanna flirt with every skirt on the street."
"Correct," Kenshin replied without shame.
Drathan chuckled, pushing his chair back with a groan. "I'll be out on the outskirts. Need some quiet. World's been loud lately."
"Don't nap so hard you forget to breathe," Seme muttered.
They split ways after breakfast: Mira and Kenshin with the siblings down the garden-lined avenue, Seme toward the training grounds to meet the swordsman from their last mission, and Drathan wandering alone into Tierwyn's bustling streets.
By midday, Drathan reached the city's edge. Cobblestone gave way to packed dirt, market noise fading to the sigh of wind through tall grass. He found a lone hill crowned by a massive oak, overlooking emerald forest. The sky stretched endless and blue, clouds drifting like lazy sails. He lay in the grass beneath the oak, rough bark pressing his back, and let the hum of insects and sweet scent of wildflowers lull him into rare stillness.
Elsewhere, Seme and the swordsman clashed blades in the sunlit yard, steel ringing like chimes. Sweat flew from each strike, the smell of metal and dust heavy in the air. They barked grins and insults between gritted teeth, neither giving ground, while onlookers whispered at their blistering speed. By the end of it, Seme's hair clung to her face, clothes clinging damp with sweat, her chest rising and falling as she stretched her sore arms.
In the city's heart, Mira laughed as her siblings darted through stalls, pointing at toys, sweets, and fabrics that rippled like water in the breeze. The air was thick with roasting nuts, baked bread, and bright chatter. Kenshin swaggered alongside, winking at passing women and earning giggles—or rolled eyes. They stopped first at a clothing shop, where Mira let her siblings pick from rows of soft tunics and sturdy boots. The younger boy twirled in a cloak far too big for him, tripping over the hem until Mira knelt to adjust it. The girl clutched a ribbon the color of twilight, eyes shining as if it were a crown.
From there, they passed into a grocer's lane. Baskets of vivid fruit glistened under the sun—purple pears, golden apples, citrus so sharp the scent alone made mouths water. Mira filled a bag with dried meats, grains, and jars of honey, careful to stretch coins wisely while still treating her siblings. Kenshin, of course, slipped candied nuts and sugar-dipped figs into the basket when Mira wasn't looking, grinning when the siblings caught on and covered for him.
The two kids tried on their new clothes right after, stepping out of the shop looking brand new. The boy grinned, spinning in his shorter, fitted cloak, while the girl clutched her ribbon proudly, refusing to take it off. Their joy made Mira's eyes sting, but she covered it with a laugh.
On the way back to the villa, they ran into Seme and the swordsman still cooling down from their training session. Seme looked disheveled, hair sticking to her skin, sweat soaking her shirt. Kenshin smirked immediately. "Damn, sis, you sweatin' like you just ran a marathon in armor. Who you tryna impress, shiny muscles over there?"
Seme shot him a look sharp enough to cut steel, but her ears were a little pink.
By evening, everyone made it back to the villa. Mira herded her siblings to their rooms to put away new clothes, while Kenshin kept cracking jokes about Seme leaving puddles on the marble floor. The house filled with laughter and chatter once again, warmth settling into its walls.
Meanwhile, under the oak tree on the hill, Drathan pulled the strange mirror from his void space, turning it in his hands as light refracted strangely across its surface. He traced the edges, trying to figure out its secrets, but answers eluded him. His eyelids grew heavy, the summer air thick and drowsy. Before long, the mirror slipped from his hand into the grass, and he drifted into sleep—only to find himself stepping once again into the dreamscape where the Demon Lord waited.