Chapter 42: Family
Aiden, Sara, and Jonathan stepped inside the house. The morning light entered through the windows, spreading across the wooden floor, soft and pale.
The air was still warm from the rising sun, and the faint sound of birds echoed in the distance. They moved quietly, their clothes stained faintly with dust and sweat.
Sara went toward the kitchen while Jonathan and Aiden headed to the washroom. The sound of running water filled the house for a while as both Aiden and Jonasthan washed up before silence took over the house once again.
Soon after, the aroma of roasted bread, grilled meat, and fried eggs began to drift through the air. It was warm, comforting, and nostalgic.
Aiden followed his father toward the kitchen, his steps light yet thoughtful. The moment they entered, the scent entered their nose, making them even more hungry.
Sara was standing near the stove, her hair tied loosely behind her, her movements calm but graceful as she flipped the bread on the pan and adjusted the fire.
Jonathan sat down at the table, his expression relaxed, but he remained quiet. Aiden followed, sitting beside him as Sara placed the plates before them.
The sound of the plates touching the wooden table echoed softly through the small room.
They sat together, the family of three, eating in peace and silence at first. The warm tea steamed in cups beside them, the bread golden and crisp. Aiden picked up a piece, dipped it into the tea, and took a bite.
The bread melted softly in his mouth; the flavor was delicate, and the warmth spread through his mouth. For a brief moment, everything felt peaceful — too peaceful.
But behind that calm, Aiden's mind was filled with thoughts — questions that had been bothering him since that time he saw inside the illusion of his parents.
Thoughts about his mother's nightmare, the man with silver-white hair and grey eyes, the same man he had seen in her nightmare.
He hesitated for a while, his hand still holding the cup. Then, he looked up at Sara.
"Mom," he said slowly, his tone calm yet uncertain, "I want to ask you something."
Sara looked at him from across the table. Her expression softened as she replied gently, "What is it, dear? Ask freely."
Aiden nodded slightly before continuing, "Mom… who was that white-haired man in your nightmare? Is he just an illusion, or… is he really my uncle?"
The question fell like a storm in the still air.
Sara froze. For a moment, her fingers trembled slightly. The sound of the spoon hitting the plate echoed faintly.
She looked at Aiden with surprise, disbelief flickering across her face. She hadn't expected him to ask this. She hadn't even expected him to know what had happened inside the illusion.
Her lips parted slightly before she asked in a cautious tone, "How much did you see?"
Aiden's expression didn't change. His eyes remained calm, steady, and focused as he replied. "Almost everything you experienced inside that illusion."
Sara's eyes widened slightly as a faint flicker passed through her eyes — it was not fear, but pain, anger, and old memories she wished to bury. Her expression darkened, her gaze distant as if recalling the past memories.
Jonathan noticed the shift in her expression and looked at her quietly. Their eyes met for a moment. He gave her a small nod, silent but filled with meaning. Permission.
Sara exhaled slowly, her gaze softening as she turned toward Aiden.
"Yes," she began, her voice quiet but steady. "He's my older brother. His name is Michael Draconia. He is the eldest son of the Draconia household — and the current head of the family."
Aiden remained silent, listening.
"He's a Stage Five mana cultivator," she continued, her tone growing heavier. "And he was… against your father and me marrying from the very beginning."
Her eyes darkened further, and for a brief moment, pain flickered through her voice. "To him, nothing matters more than the family's name — not blood, not love, not life itself. When he learned that I'd fallen in love with Jonathan, that I wanted to marry him… he turned against me."
Aiden's chest tightened. He could feel the bitterness behind her words — the weight of her memories pressing against every word she spoke.
Sara looked down at her hands, clasped tightly in her lap as she continued. "He told me that I was tarnishing our bloodline. That a Draconia should never marry a commoner. But I couldn't accept those rules — not when I'd already chosen your father."
Jonathan remained silent, his gaze steady on the table, the faintest shadow crossing his eyes.
Sara took a slow breath before continuing, her tone growing faint. "After my Mother and Father died, the family artifact — the one they gave me — became the cause of everything. Michael wanted it. The elders wanted it. To them, it was never a gift. It was power."
She stopped for a second and sai,d "But when I ran away with your father and took the artifact with me he became extremely angry"
Her eyes flickered, cold and distant now. "He sent people all across the continent to search for us. He would have found us, too, if it weren't for the illusionary artifact we gave you — the one that keeps us hidden. Without it, we would've been found long ago."
Aiden listened silently. His brows furrowed as he tried to recall something. The name Draconia sounded familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before. But no matter how hard he tried, the memory refused to surface.
After a moment, he asked, "Mom… was Dad really your guard?"
Before Sara could answer, Jonathan spoke. His voice was calm, deep, carrying a faint trace of nostalgia. "Yes, Aiden. I was your mother's guard."
Aiden turned toward him.
"My duty," Jonathan said slowly, "was to keep her safe. Your grandfather trusted me with her protection. But after your grandparents passed away, everything changed. The elders grew restless. They wanted power, influence, control. They wanted to force your mother into a political marriage. And they also wanted to covet your mothers artifact"
He paused briefly, his gaze distant. "Your mother and I fled. That was fifteen years ago."
Sara looked down as she whispered, "Elizabeth was the only one who helped us escape. She's the only family member who knows where we are."
Aiden nodded slightly, processing the weight of their words. Then another question surfaced in his mind.
"Dad," he asked softly, "how did you become a guard in Mom's family?"
Jonathan's expression softened with memory. His voice carried quiet sorrow.
"My father," he said, "was the chief of the Draconia family's soldiers. After he retired, we lived peacefully for a few years. But my mother fell ill, and despite everything we tried, she passed away. A few years later, my father followed her. I was only ten at the time."
Sara's gaze lowered slightly, her expression faintly pained.
Jonathan continued, "Your grandfather — Sara's father — took me in. He sent me to Eldoria Magic Academy to train, to strengthen myself. When I graduated, he gave me a position as an elite soldier. That's how I met your mother."
Aiden listened quietly. The air felt heavy again — not with tension, but with emotion, with the harsh memories of their pasts.
They continued eating, the silence stretching between them. The warmth of the food couldn't soften the tension arround them.
After a while, Sara broke the silence. "Aiden," she said softly, "in two days, you'll turn twelve. Why don't we celebrate your birthday and your advancement to Stage Two together? It's been a long time since we had something to celebrate."
Aiden looked up at her. For the first time since their talk began, a small smile appeared on his face. "Okay, Mom," he said quietly. "That would be the best."
Sara smiled in return. The tension that had lingered in the room slowly began to fade, melting into the morning air.
Jonathan chuckled lightly, his tone shifting as he said, "After your birthday, I'll take you to a friend of mine. He can help you get into Eldoria Magic Academy."
Then, with a teasing grin, he added, "Just try not to break too many hearts while you're there."
Aiden blinked, caught off guard. "I'm not like you, Dad," he replied quickly, his tone dry but amused.
Jonathan leaned back, pretending to look offended. "What do you mean by that? Do I look like someone who would do such a thing?"
Before Aiden could respond, Sara spoke with a playful smile. "Yes, Aiden. Don't be like your father. He broke so many hearts in the academy that I lost count."
Jonathan's face turned red as he said . "Hey! Don't say that in front of him!"
Sara laughed sotly, her voice filled with warmth. Even Aiden couldn't hold back a quiet chuckle.
The heaviness that had once filled the room seemed to dissolve. The sound of their laughter blended with the faint crackle of the stove and the morning breeze drifting through the window.
For a moment, they were just a family — no secrets, no running, no past. Just three people sharing a morning together.
As they finished breakfast, the sunlight grew stronger, filling the room with gentle warmth. Sara gathered the dishes while Jonathan leaned back, stretching with a contented sigh.
The rest of the day passed quietly.
When night finally came, Aiden returned to his room. He lay down on the bed, the events of the day swirling through his mind — his mother's past, his father's story, his uncle's name.
The shadows of those memories still lingered, but they no longer felt as heavy.
He closed his eyes slowly. But this time something was different than usual.
There was no heartbeat this time.
No whisper.
Only silence.
And for the first time in a long while, Aiden slept peacefully.
Author's Note: If you enjoyed this chapter, leave a comment below and add it to your collection.