"Yves! Good heavens!" Samael was cursing as he was welcomed by Yves, Kian, Milera, and Ezio along with a familiar lady, a familiar unconscious elf… and the flower itself.
They were back at the palace. Unharmed and safe.
"Please prepare two rooms immediately," Callista swiftly ordered a palace servant. She then approached Milera and took the flower from her hands, then later giving it to Isaac who had just arrived. Yves' eyes followed it. He was curious. Not only because it was Scarlet's Flower, but because something is drawing him into it.
It feels like he needs to know something about it.
"Please rest of the day," Tadeas interrupted Yves' train of thoughts as he carried the unconscious elf in his hands. Yves then turned to the other four. Although not much work had happened, they all seemed a little tired… and emotionally drained. A lot has been revealed and it must be taking a toll on them.
"You lot rest for today, I'll go to my lab and make an antidote for Cimmerian—" Yves was immediately cut off when Samael head locked him.
"Rest time is for rest, you workaholic bastard. Work on that after you wake up and replenish some energy." Samael demanded and pulled him along, in which Yves immediately surrendered as he could tell that his body wasn't in the best condition to work after using up nearly all his mana to free Cimmerian.
That damned Celio, making it hard for me, Yves cursed the deity in his mind as he was being dragged along.
The other four watched Yves getting scolded by his supposed foster father, and they couldn't help but laugh.
"I missed some things, didn't I?" Dolunay immediately connected the dots. VOID was owned by Grimestone, Samael is the Grimestone Family Head, his only heir is the owner of VOID, and Samael is treating Yves like his son.
Oh, if only she knew…
"Don't worry, we missed out on a lot too," Milera pointed out, holding Dolunay's hand. They locked eyes and Milera continued, "Let's all catch up on a lot of things. Along with everyone."
This was her assuring the faerie that they'll become complete again. All safe and sound. Dolunay could feel her chest lighten at that. With Dolunay nodding along, Kian and Ezio smiled with them.
To them, this is going to be a long day.
Hours have passed, Kian quietly welcomed the new day by his window. He watched the sun rise as he sipped on his hot tea. He couldn't sleep at all; his mind was working like a clock. Thoughts flooded his mind and he was willingly drowning in them.
Everything could've been prevented. Rue should've been the only one away from all of them. They should have been simply waiting for her instead…
"I'm taking back my empire."
It was Rue's last words to him. They were barely 11 years old at that time. The two of them were close, feeling kinship in a way that both of them are to be leaders of their own respective empires. He knew that Rue would disappear someday, but he never thought it would be so strict to the point of cutting contact.
I could've done something to calm her down, Kian thought to himself as he recalled the time Dolunay stormed out of the pub where they all met up. According to her, it was the day she drank that damned potion.
Kian sighs again as he places down his cup of tea. He then heard a knock on the door, and he could tell it was her.
"Come in, Luna."
The door pushed open, revealing the faerie in her satin white sleepwear. Her long hair was resting on her shoulders, flowing down to her waist, and ending at her thighs. From her relaxed expression, she seemed to have had a good nap, even if it's just a couple of hours. Her face then fell as she looked at Kian with worry.
"You don't seem like you slept at all," she said, striding towards him. Kian's eyes followed her small figure until their bodies were barely inches away from touching. Her hand cupped his right cheek, thumb gently rubbing under his eyes. "Your bags will get darker."
Kian simply stared at her concerned face. She looked so different from the last time I saw her, and yet… Kian trailed off a thought letting his actions do the work.
He took the hand that was touching his face, slowly guiding it to his lips, and gently kissing her palm as he looked straight into her eyes. Their gazes locked and Luna didn't seem flustered.
Kian wasn't surprised by her nonchalance either. He knew she had grown up into a woman who doesn't falter at a man's flirty gesture. In the first place, they've always been so close that no one minded their skinship.
This gesture… It was his own way of saying that he missed her.
"Must you be so charming?" Dolunay cracked a lovely smile in amusement. She couldn't contain the fluttering emotions inside of her.
There it is.
A smile immediately formed as he saw her beautiful moon eye smile. She still smiles like a child.
It was adorable.
"Must you be all over each other first thing in the morning?"
Their lovely moment was then interrupted when they heard Yves by the doorway. They turned to him, lightly annoyed at his interrupting. Yves rolled his eyes. He looked like a total mess, coming straight out of bed. His dark eyes were visible, and it seemed like he barely rested.
Kian, feeling playful, pulled Dolunay closer to him, snaking his hands around her waist. He pressed his face to hers while looking directly at Yves with a wide grin.
"Yes, I haven't seen her for years after all," Kian teased, but it wasn't just about the teasing. He did miss this faerie.
"Ah, right." Yves tried to beam a smile, but the corner of his lips were twitching, revealing that Kian's teasing to piss him off was working. Dolunay, however, pushed his face away from her and focused on Yves.
"But, Yves, shouldn't you be resting until lunch time?" She raised her concern. Among the five of them, he was exerted most by using long-distance teleportation.
"No, three hours of sleep is enough for a deity like me, pay it no mind," he stated as he turned to Kian. "Can you get us permission to look around the Treasury where the flower is being kept? I need certain confirmation about my theory."
Kian showed confusion, but responded anyway, "I can just come along with you. What's the matter?"
"Let's just go now, please." Yves pleaded before he walked away.
Dolunay and Kian looked at each other confused.
What's up with him?