Life in the keep adapted to the presence of the new child. Nurses attended to the infant, while Seraphine and Liora hovered at a respectful distance, eager to observe, but aware they must not disrupt the delicate balance.
The nine children, once the entirety of the Valemont household, now numbered ten in spirit. Alaric's arrival was both celebration and reminder: the cycle of life and duty continued.
Edric and Mariel spent long nights planning for the boy's future. Tutors were discussed, lands to manage, alliances to consider. And yet, beneath it all, there was the quiet joy of parenthood—the touch of small fingers, the sound of soft coos, the warmth of a family expanding.