Chương 5: Interlude I

Ashlyn Aline Silverheart Arilyn and Rosalyn were fast asleep after hours of playing around, and Ashlyn had finally finished tidying the house to spend some time with her younger sister. There was so much to talk about, so much to recount, for all the years she missed.

"Now if only I can get some wine," Emi said, wiping her arms with a towel before sinking into the couch.

"I won't even say no to some cheap ale."

"I have a house rule against alcohol," Ashlyn stifled a laugh.

"And smoking." Emi snorted.

"Mighty noble of you to make up some rules like that, since you do neither." Ashlyn smiled, and for a moment, it felt like she was back in the old days when the two of them could talk without any reservations.

"I would have given you a pass, now that the children are asleep. Unfortunately, there's nothing to drink in the house but orange and apple juice."

"How you live out here alone like this, I'd never know." Ashlyn rested onto the couch beside Emelyn. They had spent the whole day together, but neither had brought up the heavier topics.

"Never imagined I'd see the day," Emelyn said,"you, settling down, raising a family all by yourself. You were so wild and free."

"Nor did I," Ashlyn said.

"But raising a child changes you... My little pumpkin is so sweet. He makes it all worth it."

"I hope so," her sister chimed, patting her lap and inviting her to lie down. Just like old times.

"He's so adorable, and so curious... Solas, he asks so many questions." Ashlyn gave in too easily, laying her leg over the head of the couch and nestling her head on Emi's lap. Her sister brushed a clumsy finger through her locks, nuzzling slowly.

"He usually finds the answer to his question on his own," she murmured.

"Only asks when he could not find them... or if he's overly excited about something, which is everything concerning magic."

"It's not troubling, far from it," Emelyn said.

"I'd say it is a defining characteristic of excellence. Curiosity." Ashlyn stared at her in silent contemplation.

"Don't give me that look," her sister snorted.

"You would not have taught him meditation at such an early age or given him the De if you thought he'd be average."

"I didn't," she sighed.

"He learned to meditate on his own."

"Really… How?"

"Says he imitated watching me, and one day it began to make sense to him." Emelyn's brushing fingers froze, the magus in her beginning to calculate what it could entail in raw talent.

"Ash, this is really... With meditation, he's already half-prepared for spellcrafts."

"I know," she whispered, her lips pressed into a thin line. Perhaps the simplicity of living in a village with little to no distractions had led him to be so earnest in it, but that did not explain all of it. There were hardly any kids as diligent as her pumpkin.

"It's not just meditation... he can sense essence... read and write. He has already filled up a dozen notebooks." It might sound like the ability to read and write was minuscule compared to the ability to sense essence. But essence came naturally to many gifted individuals, reading and writing rarely.

"Well, having Focus and Cognition could help one develop sooner." True, there was no shortage of kids who were a bit smarter for their age. Only a bit, however, because a few points in this and that attribute could never be a better teacher than first-hand experience. Then there were also those the Spell was partial to. Emi squeezed her palm.

"What worries you?" What worries me? Well, she could name a dozen. Ignoring the antagonistic relationship she had with her mother, I worry I'll repeat the same mistakes with Arilyn and damned the only family I have now. The chaotic thought gripped her heart, and yet she did not bring herself to voice her concern to her sister, the person she was once closest to all her life.

"I worry the Spell is stealing my little boy's childhood from him," she sighed with a heavy heart. Emi shot her a thoughtful look, considering. Her sister might not be the most confident, but she always had the tact to see the truth in matters.

"You remember Nero," she said, reading her expression and her aura.

"Of course, you do… He grew up pretty well, even with all the interference. I'm sure you have nothing to fear." Her heart jumped as the face of a young boy resurfaced in her mind. A boy, a genius with talents like no other, the youngest to advance to the Prestigious Class. Like Arilyn, Nero was born with a gift, one that bloomed at an early age. Unfortunately, too many people tried to mould him to their liking, forced him through gruelling training when he needed fostering, and left him with nobody to turn to.

Ashlyn would never let anyone, perhaps even her own family, shape her little boy. Emelyn was closest to her heart, and even then, she had deliberated for months before inviting her. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"You are exhausted, Sister," Emi murmured, massaging her head.

"You are trying to play all the roles you can for Arilyn while fearing you may turned into Mother."

"It isn't bad," she said, letting out a slow breath.

"I know, but all these years, you've been raising him alone." Ashlyn could feel the question brewing at the tip of Emi's tongue—questions she had dodged for years.

"What of his father?" Emelyn asked.

"Where is he? Even our father was never..." She did not complete the sentence, but Ashlyn knew what her younger sister was getting at. Surprisingly, she was not angry... Perhaps she would have been if it were Ashlyn of a decade ago... she did not have the same fire in her anymore. Ashlyn traced her finger over the left side of her ribcage, reaching for the old scar there. Even covered under her clothes, she could still feel the sting.

"Honestly, I don't even know where he is currently," she said, her breath hitching.

"Oh, Ash..."

"Don't." Ashlyn sat up, a brittle smile on her lips.

"I chose knowing it all."

"But," Emi sighed, "doesn't Arilyn need his father?" Ashlyn groaned. She had to bring that up.

"Sometimes I wonder if you like being alone," her sister said.

"You ran away from home, fighting Mother… then that whole thing in Revalas, and you left your job and everything to disappear completely for years… Sometimes I feel you don't need us… you don't want us."

"Emi, you know it's not like that…"

"I know, and I still feel that way…" She bit her lip.

"Can you imagine how hard it is for Rose? Like you, she doesn't express her truest feelings, but I know how much she misses her eldest sister." Ashlyn parted her lips to say something, but she found no words that would excuse her absence. Perhaps she could give a valid explanation, perhaps she could blame her exile, the empire, and even her mother, but she could not change the fact that she was absent while their little sister grew. All of her valid reasons would be nothing more than hollow excuses to Rosalyn.

"I'm sorry for not being a filial elder sister to you two," she finally said, kissing Emelyn's palm. Now all I hope is that I don't become an even worse mother to Arilyn. Emelyn shook her head.

"When I first told Rose about coming here, she said she did not want to come… However, on the morning I was to leave, she silently showed up before time."

"That really sounds like our Little Goblin," she chuckled.

"She idolises you and wants to walk the same path you chose." Ashlyn furrowed her brows.

"Solas, help me! You've made it so hard," Emi said, exhaling deeply.

"I was hoping you'd come with us, to live together." Ashlyn cocked her head up.

"You have done all you could alone to raise Arilyn," Emelyn continued.

"Let us… let me do my part as an aunt."

"Emi," Ashlyn opened her mouth, yet could not find the words.

"I…"

"You're still going to be stubborn," Emelyn said, reading her expression.

"I cannot leave," she said, biting her lip.

"Not yet. I still have work to do." Her sister only stared at her with a pained expression.

"Work? What work you do here you cannot complete elsewhere?" I wish I could answer you, sister. A deep-rooted guilt resurfaced within Ashlyn's heart. She closed her eyes before they could break into tears. This is where we agreed to unite. This is where he'll return to… I cannot leave. Not yet.

"I'm sorry, Emi, but—""It's alright," her sister said, her lips pressed to a thin line." I guess I was hopeful for nothing…"

"I promise to visit you and Rose," Ashlyn said, but the damage was already done.

"Just give me a little more time to make it to you… Let Arilyn have a normal childhood, with no pressure and expectations weighing on his little shoulders…" And let me cling to the little hope I am left with…

"We'll come to you, Emi… when this little world is not enough for Arilyn… when I cannot give him everything." Emelyn Evelyn Amadeus The night passed, and it was time for them to return. Rose awoke a little later than usual and then had to wipe off the made-up moustache and beard, her little nephew's handiwork, with a sullen expression. She did not want to leave just yet, but it could not be helped.

She had training to attend, and it was the same for Emelyn, the difference being that she would be the one delivering the training.

"Can't you just teach her here?" asked her little nephew. His face still bore the moustache, and though Rose's hand lacked the creativity as he had been, it did match his beaming red hair.

"I could," she said, kneeling to wrap him in a hug.

"But that will make the rest of the students miss the training." Arilyn pouted surly.

"Aunt Emi, will you teach me magic when I grow up?"

"Of course, sweet child. But make sure you learn everything you can from your mum before you're ready." He nodded eagerly. Then, mischief sparkled in his eyes.

"Aunt Emi, I have a grave question. One last one, I promise," he asked with all the seriousness a child could muster.

"Mum calls me Pumpkin, and she calls the brat—uh, Rose—Little Goblin. What nickname did Mum give you?" Emelyn smiled, amused.

"She calls me 'Emi,' of course." He made a face, feeling a little cheated.

"How about this?" she laughed, pinching his cheeks playfully.

"I'll tell you what I used to call your mum when we were younger." Her nephew perked up. She grinned and leaned in close, whispering in his ear, "Chipmunk." Arilyn could not help but chuckle.

"Don't tell her I told you that."

"I promise," he giggled. On the other side, Rose clung to Ash, crying like she did not want to let go.

"Please… don't leave me!" Rosalyn sobbed, wrapping her arms around her as tightly as she could.

"We just reunited, and now we're parting again…"

"I'm not leaving you, Little Goblin," Ash said softly, nuzzling Rosalyn's brown locks.

"I'll keep in touch, and I'll even visit you when you feel lonely. But soon, you'll be busy at the academy, with all your classes and training… and the boys." Rosalyn snorted, snot bubbling out of her nose.

"Train well, little sister," their eldest sister said, patting her head.

"And don't forget to have fun."

"I will," Rosalyn mumbled, "I won't." After wiping away her tears and snot, Rosalyn finally let go of Ash and turned to face Arilyn.

"I'll show you an even greater spell next time I visit," she told him.

"I'll be waiting."