The end of the afternoon brought a different kind of movement to the mansion. It wasn't urgency or tension, but a looser energy, as if each person was occupying the space in their own way. After the past few days, that felt necessary.
In the main hall, Lyannis was stretched out on the sofa, casually spinning a small blade between her fingers. The motion was constant, almost automatic. On the other side, Liriel was organizing a set of arrows, aligning each one with exaggerated precision.
"Do you always do that?" Lyannis asked, without taking her eyes off the blade.
"Yes."
"Even when you don't need to?"
"I need to."
Lyannis let out a quiet chuckle.
"Interesting. Obsessive organization."
Liriel paused for a moment and looked up.
"Discipline."
"Same thing with a different name."
"No."
The silence lasted only a few seconds.
"Have you ever tried not doing it?" Lyannis continued.
"Have you ever tried staying quiet?" Liriel replied.
Lyannis smiled.
"No."
The answer came directly, almost automatically.
Liriel went back to aligning the arrows, but this time with a bit more force than before.
"You're distracting."
"I'm observing."
"You're distracting."
"Depends on the point of view."
Before the conversation could continue, Elara entered the room, analyzing the scene in silence for a few seconds.
"Are you arguing, or is this normal?"
"Both," Lyannis replied.
"She started it," said Liriel.
"I just asked a question."
"An unnecessary one."
"Curiosity is valid."
Elara crossed her arms.
"Not when it turns into irritation."
Lyannis tilted her head.
"So you're on her side?"
"I'm on the side of silence."
That drew a small smile from Lyannis.
"Fair."
Liriel let out a restrained sigh but didn't respond.
A few moments later, Rai'kanna entered, bringing with her a subtle shift in the atmosphere. Her eyes moved quickly across the three, understanding the situation without needing an explanation.
"This again?"
"Nothing serious," said Lyannis.
"She won't stop talking," replied Liriel.
"She takes everything as an attack," Lyannis shot back.
Rai'kanna closed her eyes briefly, as if deciding whether it was worth getting involved.
"You two work better when you're not trying to prove anything."
"I'm not trying to prove anything," said Liriel.
"Neither am I," added Lyannis.
Rai'kanna opened her eyes slowly.
"Exactly."
Silence returned, but this time more controlled.
Scarlett appeared soon after, stopping by the doorway.
"I heard voices from here."
"Everything's under control," said Elara.
"That usually means the opposite," Scarlett replied.
Lyannis adjusted herself on the sofa.
"It's all calm."
"You saying that doesn't help."
"I'm being honest."
Scarlett walked to the center of the room, glancing briefly at each of them.
"What's the problem now?"
"She won't stop commenting on everything," said Liriel.
"She takes everything like an attack," replied Lyannis.
Scarlett took a breath.
"You're both wrong."
They both looked at her at the same time.
"How?" Liriel asked.
"Simple," said Scarlett. "One provokes, the other reacts. And neither of you stops."
Lyannis shrugged.
"It works."
"It doesn't," Scarlett replied. "It just hasn't blown up yet."
Rai'kanna nodded slightly.
"She has a point."
Elara uncrossed her arms.
"You're not enemies."
"I know," said Liriel.
"Me too," added Lyannis.
"Then act like it," said Scarlett.
The silence that followed was different.
Less heavy.
More aware.
Lyannis stopped spinning the blade for a moment.
"You get irritated easily," she said, looking at Liriel.
"You provoke too much," Liriel replied.
The two remained silent for a few seconds.
"Maybe that's it," Lyannis said.
"Maybe," Liriel answered.
It wasn't an agreement.
But it wasn't a conflict anymore either.
Scarlett watched the exchange without interfering.
"That's already a start," she said.
Rai'kanna stepped a little closer.
"You don't have to like everything about each other."
"Great," said Lyannis.
"But you need to function together," she finished.
Liriel nodded slightly.
"That's not a problem."
Lyannis did the same.
"Not at all."
Elara let out a small sigh.
"Finally."
The atmosphere began to settle again.
The tension faded, replaced by something lighter.
It wasn't perfect harmony.
But it was enough.
A few minutes later, Lyannis leaned back on the sofa again, this time without the blade.
Liriel continued with the arrows, but with less rigidity.
Scarlett stepped back a little, watching in silence.
Rai'kanna leaned against the wall.
Elara simply stayed there.
Nothing grand happened.
No major resolution.
Just an adjustment.
Small.
But necessary.
I looked at the group for a few moments.
Each one different.
Each with their own rhythm.
And still…
Working.
Not because they were the same.
But because, somehow, they were learning to deal with each other.
"This is going to happen again," I commented.
Scarlett replied first.
"It will."
"Probably tomorrow," said Lyannis.
"Probably in a bit," Elara corrected.
Liriel let out a soft sigh.
"As long as it doesn't become a real problem."
"It won't," said Rai'kanna.
"Why?" I asked.
She looked around before answering.
"Because now you're paying attention."
The silence that followed was light.
Without weight.
Without tension.
The mansion returned to its natural state.
Alive.
Imperfect.
But stable.
And, in that moment…
That was enough.