"Your ring?"
Artero never noticed Gwyn wearing a ring. He had noticed the vial she wore around her neck, and he knew what it meant and who had given it to her.
Gwyn started to hyperventilate.
"If I don't get that ring back..."
Tears formed at the edge of her eyes.
The Chosen One's hopelessness was contagious.
He raised a hand to her face, lifting her vision and clearing some of her tears.
"Hey, we will go back right away and look for it, okay? If not, I will have something done about Anastasia."
He grabbed her hand, and they returned to Kaldere Academy, checked the lost-and-found, and the sparring classroom. They had checked everywhere they could think of.
By the time they were finished looking, the sun was already starting to set, and they were empty-handed.
It wasn't until they returned to the Kosmairian Estate that they spoke at length about anything that wasn't Gwyn's ring that she'd lost.
"Well, at least we don't have to wait long for dinner now," Artero said, trying to be optimistic. "I'm sure it'll turn up. People often don't steal other people's catalysts."
The Chosen One was already resigned to the fact she would never see the ring again. Given who she was and how people despised her, she wouldn't be surprised if it were a coordinated theft.
And if Anastasia really took it, she was doubtful she'd ever see it again.
"If you say so…"
Artero, realizing Gwyn's melancholy, dragged her to the Main Manor.
"Come, let's get some food. It should cheer you up."
Gwyn only nodded as they walked through the doors. Servants and guards tried to hide their surprise as they saw the twenty-fifth Chosen One walking through their doors. When they arrived at the dining hall, Gwyn saw a little mop-headed boy who was not enjoying her presence.
"You've got to be kidding me," Griffith said aloud. "Brother, why have you…"
Artero gave him a glare that immediately caused his younger brother to silence himself.
Griffith was the only one at the table. Rodrick soon strolled in. Then the twenty-third Chosen One, Di 'Vinci, the white tiger, followed in soon after him.
"Holy shit," he exclaimed. "Twenty-fifth, put 'er there."
He held out his paw.
Gwyn stood behind Artero.
"I'm not going to fall for that again."
Gwyn referenced how he raised her up into the air during the Meeting of the Chosen when he offered his hand.
Di Vinci then sighed, lay flat on his back, and stretched his limbs straight into the air like an upside-down table.
"I apologize for my treatment of you during the Meeting of the Chosen. I have now seen the error of my ways," he sounded mournful. "Now, can you accept my apology… this position is humiliating for my people."
Gwyn stared at him.
Was he pretending to be a submissive cat right now?
"Vinci!"
Griffith cried out, ran over, and petted his ear.
The twenty-third Chosen One's leg involuntarily kicked in the air.
"Insolent child! Stop that! Stop it right now!"
"Kitty loves to be pet!"
"Stop that right now! Gwyn, please say you forgive me!"
Gwyn laughed uncontrollably and wiped a tear from her eye. Seeing such a powerful figure be so utterly vulnerable.
"I forgive you. I forgive you!"
He quickly shot up and flicked Griffith on the head.
"Don't take advantage of me like that!"
"Ow!" Griffith held his head. "But you love to be petted there, you told me."
Di 'Vinci laughed nervously.
"W-what? No… I didn't say s-such a thing." He covered Griffith's mouth. "Don't tell them any more, Young Master, I have a reputation to uphold." He whispered so only Griffith could hear.
Griffith nodded and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Sure, thing, Kitty!"
Di 'Vinci glared at him.
"I mean, uh… Di 'Vinci!"
Di 'Vinci nodded and returned his thumbs up, or… paws up—before sitting next to him at the table.
"Who has replaced your brother with a sweet little boy?" Gwyn asked Artero quietly.
Artero eyed her suspiciously.
"He is usually sweet. He doesn't like you for some reason."
Gwyn looked over the table, and sure enough, Griffith snuck glares at her. Gwyn found herself a spot at the table opposite end of Rodrick, next to Artero.
Moments later, Talos Kosmariain, the head of the house, walked in with two guards that he immediately dismissed.
"My subjects! Why are we not groveling at my feet?" He said firmly.
"Because your feet are stinky!" Griffith shouted.
Talos faked a shocked expression.
"S-stinky!? My feet are perfectly unsmelly!"
Griffith laughed, and the adults shook their heads but smiled nonetheless.
"How is everyone? I hope the day treated you well…" he noticed Gwyn. "Oh, a surprise guest. How are you, Chosen One? Are you enjoying the housing we've provided?"
Gwyn nodded.
"It's very nice, thank you for everything."
"It's my pleasure, Dear. Thank you for allowing the Kosmairians to house you." He smiled towards her. "Enough chatter."
He clapped a few times. Servants immediately filled the room with various serving trays, each with white plates and red covers.
They brought out dozens of dishes, including some sort of stuffed-animal resembling a turkey or a chicken. There were also vegetables, soups, and breads.
The servants then fixed everyone a plate with a little of everything, notably leaving the vegetables off of Griffith's and Di 'Vinci's plates.
Gwyn seemed to thank them hundreds of times before they eventually departed.
"You don't have to be so polite," Artero said through a smile as he fed himself.
Gwyn shrugged as she stared at the mountain of food on her plate.
"I just… this is weird for me."
"Well… if you stay with me, this shall be a common occurrence for you, if this sort of thing fancies you." He gave her a loving gaze before chatting with his brother. "How was school today, lil' bro?"
"Oh! So today we…"
Gwyn didn't pay attention to their conversation; she occasionally heard them laughing. This all reminded her of her home, her family. Everyone is laughing, having a good time. It had been so long since that happened. She thought she would never have an experience like this again. Christmas felt empty and—
"Madam," Rodrick said louder.
Gwyn lifted her head. Everyone was staring at her.
"Yes?"
"We asked how Keceo has been treating you?" Talos repeated.
"Oh." She laughed softly. "Uh… It's been great. It's been…" she trailed off.
The face that caught Gwyn's attention wasn't Rodrick, Di 'Vinci or Artero. But it was Griffith. His face wasn't a glare or plotting something.
It was genuine sorrow or pity.
"Why are you crying?" Griffith asked.
"Oh." Gwyn laughed, wiping the tears she hadn't known she shed. "It's nothing, don't worry about it."
Di 'Vinci placed his paw down.
"You miss them, huh?" He purred softly.
Gwyn turned to face him.
"I'm sorry?"
"Your family," the large cat said softly.
"Oh…"
Gwyn didn't know how to respond.
Was it okay to miss someone you'd never see again? Were they basically dead? Are you mourning your memories of them?
Di 'Vinci wore a toothy smile, his sharp teeth standing out.
"When I was brought here, I had just had a litter of kids with my Matriarch. You should have seen them. Cutest kids that ever lived, I tell you."
Gwyn held her breath, and so did everyone else, apparently.
Di 'Vinci continued.
"Then I was here, pulled away from everything I knew, to help these freaks." He gestured to everyone, his tone clearly joking. "But I've made peace with it. I know I may never see them again, but I have a new family now." He glanced at those around the table. "And I fight to protect them, and to maybe return to my kids one day." He laughed a little. "I wonder if they're as big as me now."
The whole table seemed to be emotional. Rodrick was full on bawling his eyes out, leaving his chair to hug the twenty-third.
"I am so sorry, Di 'Vinci! I had no idea you had little kittens!"
Di 'Vinci wrestled him in his chair.
"Get off of me, you armored giant! You're going to—"
The chair snapped under the weight of both of them, with both of them falling on one another.
Everyone looked worried, but when both the men laughed, so did everyone else.
Artero spoke through the link to Gwyn.
~You'll always have a family with our house, Gwynevere.~
Gwyn felt the hole in her heart feel a little less empty.