The majestic ruler slowly loosened his powerful embrace, stepping back slightly from the edge of the large, comfortable mattress where we all remained seated in the early morning. The vibrant, pale-green light from the portal circular rift continued to pulse smoothly through the spacious bedroom, casting long emerald shadows across the polished wooden floorboards of the grand mansion. The entire environment was completely silent, filled only with the steady, rhythmic breathing of our group as we watched the unfolding events in the quiet dawn. Claude remained completely unconscious on the solid ground near the threshold of the gateway, his motionless frame completely undisturbed by the ongoing family reunion. The elven guards standing firmly by his side maintained their rigid, disciplined posture, their eyes staring straight ahead into our private quarters without making a single sound or movement. Salphy remained nestled closely against my side, her small hands clutching my clothes as she observed the majestic visitor with an innocent, quiet curiosity from beneath the thick blankets. Elphyete shifted her posture slightly on the mattress, resting calmly after the intense emotional embrace with her father while the pale-green radiance illuminated her face. The majestic ruler took a slow step backward, allowing his powerful presence to settle as he began to survey the occupants of the large bed with a renewed sense of interest.
The majestic ruler turned his head with an absolute and deliberate slowness, his gaze shifting entirely away from his daughter to examine the rest of the spacious mattress. His sharp eyes scanned the immediate space until they landed directly on the small, quiet child who was currently hiding partially behind my physical frame. The unexpected sight of a young child inside our private quarters completely caught his attention, breaking the remaining emotional atmosphere of the family reunion. King Elfhonse noticed Salphy and asked who's kid is that, his voice carrying a sudden, distinct note of intense curiosity and profound confusion that echoed clearly throughout the bedroom. He extended his hand slightly, pointing a steady finger toward our position on the bed while his posture became entirely alert. King Elfhonse noticed Salphy and asked, "Whose kid is that?" The clear, formal tone of his inquiry cut cleanly through the ambient humming of the room, demanding an immediate explanation from the occupants of the large bed. The elven guards by his side remained completely motionless, but the sudden focus on the small child created a brand new wave of quiet anticipation within the private quarters of the grand estate. I kept my physical frame perfectly still, holding Salphy securely while the king waited for an answer.
Elphyete looked directly at her father from her seated position on the bed, her expression remaining entirely composed and steady as she prepared to answer his direct question. She did not hesitate for a single second, completely understanding the necessity of clarifying the situation for the surprised ruler who was still staring at our position. Elphyete explained that we found her on an underground slave auction and adopted her, her clear voice delivering the straightforward facts with absolute calmness and total certainty. The specific details of the explanation filled the quiet morning air, providing the exact context of how the small child had become a permanent part of our unified group. Elphyete explained, "We found her on an underground slave auction and adopted her." The absolute clarity of her words resonated softly against the smooth walls of the spacious bedroom, ensuring that her father fully understood the noble circumstances behind the adoption. I kept my physical frame perfectly still beside her, holding the quiet Salphy securely while the majestic ruler processed the sudden and unexpected explanation regarding the child's origin. The deep meaning of her words settled over the room, replacing the initial confusion with a profound sense of understanding.
The majestic ruler listened intently to the clear explanation provided by his daughter, his serious facial features remaining perfectly still until the final words were completely spoken. The unexpected nature of the story seemed to register deeply within his mind, creating a sudden and dramatic shift in his overall demeanor right in front of our bed. King Elfhonse suddenly laughed and said, "That's hilarious, but what's her name?" The booming sound of his sudden laughter echoed intensely across the highly polished floorboards, completely shattering the serious tension that had previously gripped the private quarters. His powerful voice filled the spacious bedroom with a genuine, unbridled amusement as he reacted to the unusual circumstances of the adoption. King Elfhonse suddenly laughed and said, "That's hilarious, but what's her name?" His posture relaxed completely as he looked down at the small child, his previous confusion entirely replaced by a lighthearted curiosity to know her identity. The elven guards by his side remained perfectly disciplined and quiet, while the unconscious Claude lay completely motionless on the floor during the sudden outburst of joyful laughter from the king. The heavy atmosphere of the impending war felt temporarily distant as the king enjoyed the amusing revelation.
Hearing the direct question regarding her identity and witnessing the lighthearted laughter of the majestic visitor, the small child decided to respond from her secure position. She peeked out from behind my side, her innocent gaze locking onto the relaxed expression of the ruler who was standing right at the edge of the large mattress. Salphy suddenly said her name, her small and clear voice carrying softly across the quiet atmosphere of the spacious bedroom. The simple utterance of her identity was completely direct, delivered with an absolute and pure innocence that instantly filled the space between the bed and the portal circular rift. Salphy suddenly said her name, "Salphy." Her short response resonated gently against the smooth walls of the private quarters, completely anchoring her presence within the family discussion. I felt her small hands loosen their grip slightly on my side as she spoke, showing a newfound sense of security under the warm, pale-green light that continued to pulse steadily from the gateway. Elphyete watched the interaction with a calm, gentle smile, completely satisfied with how the small child was presenting herself to the majestic ruler.
The short and innocent response from the small child immediately brought another positive reaction from the majestic ruler standing before our large mattress. King Elfhonse chuckled and said that he'll go to King Nishighi now to plan for the war, his voice lowering into a warm, amused tone that filled the quiet bedroom with a sense of urgent purpose. The playful interaction with the child had concluded, prompting him to instantly return his focus to the high-stakes coordination that had originally brought him through the spatial gateway. King Elfhonse chuckled and said, "I'll go to King Nishighi now to plan for the war." He shifted his powerful physical posture away from our sleeping quarters, turning his body toward the exit of the room to fulfill his strategic responsibilities. The mention of the upcoming conflict immediately restored a sense of serious gravitas to the early morning environment, reminding everyone of the massive preparation currently taking place within the grand mansion. The elven guards by his side prepared to move immediately, their disciplined frames adjusting to follow their ruler's command without a single moment of hesitation.
With his formal decision completely announced to the room, the majestic ruler began to execute his departure from our private quarters to find the owner of the grand mansion. Suddenly the other guards dragged Claude and followed King Elfhonse out of our room, creating a quick and organized commotion across the highly polished floorboards. The disciplined warriors reached down and firmly grasped the physical frame of their unconscious commanding officer, lifting him smoothly from the solid ground without breaking their organized formation. Suddenly the other guards dragged Claude and followed King Elfhonse out of our room, their synchronized movements perfectly matching the fast strides of their departing king. The heavy sound of their boots clicked rhythmically against the smooth floorboards, gradually fading away as the entire group exited through the doorway and entered the long, quiet corridors of the grand estate. The vibrant, pale-green light from the portal circular rift slowly began to diminish as the gateway closed silently behind them, leaving our spacious bedroom entirely quiet and peaceful once again in the early morning dawn. I remained sitting comfortably on the mattress beside Elphyete and the relaxed Salphy, the profound silence wrapping tightly around our small group as we finally settled back into the complete tranquility of our private quarters.
The absolute silence of the grand mansion completely returned to our private quarters, allowing the three of us to fully relax after the sudden sequence of events that had taken place. The morning sun continued to rise outside the large windows, casting a warm and natural light that gradually replaced the emerald glow of the closed gateway. Salphy slowly let go of my side, her small frame resting comfortably against the plush pillows as she looked toward the empty space where the portal had just been floating. Elphyete leaned back against the headboard of the bed, a soft expression of complete relief washing over her face now that the unexpected meeting with her father had concluded. We did not speak a single word, choosing instead to simply enjoy the quiet stillness of the room as the rest of the estate slowly began to wake up for the day ahead. The absolute peace of the morning was completely restored, leaving us entirely undisturbed as we remained together on the large, comfortable mattress. Suddenly the other guards dragged Claude and followed king elfhonse out of our room.