Helios slowly opened his eyes and let out a long, weary sigh. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, he didn't wake up to the biting chill of a stone floor.
"Good morning, brother!"
"Morning, Luna," Helios replied, a genuine smile tugging at his lips.
"Are we really moving to the new house today?" she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with a wide yawn.
"Yes. Are you happy, Moon?"
"I'm very happy! You finally get your own bed, Helios," she said, her face lighting up.
A sharp knock at the door startled them both. "Did we invite anyone?" Luna whispered.
"No. Stay here, I'll check."
Helios walked to the door and pulled it open. Standing there was Sara, dressed in an elegant white gown that seemed far too pristine for their neighbourhood. Behind her sat a sleek, polished car. Helios blinked, stared at the vehicle, and promptly slammed the door shut.
I must still be dreaming, he thought, leaning against the wood. Since when did medieval fantasy worlds have internal combustion engines?
He opened the door again. Sara was still there, looking unimpressed. "That isn't a very polite way to greet a guest," she remarked.
"Why are you at my house?" Helios asked, stepping outside. "I never gave you my address."
"I'm the Vice Leader of an organization with a dedicated intelligence facility," Sara said coolly. "If we couldn't find a shack in the slums, it would be quite embarrassing. Now, get ready. I'm here to escort you to your new residence."
Helios and Luna quickly gathered their few belongings. Soon, they were settled into the plush leather seats of the car.
"Where are we going, brother?" Luna asked, her nose pressed against the window.
"To our new home, just like I promised." Helios looked out at the passing scenery. I really thought we'd be riding horses. This world is a strange mix of the old and the new.
As they drove, the crumbling stone hovels began to give way to modern architecture with glass windows and paved roads.
"We've entered Area 2," Sara noted, glancing at Luna. "We'll be at your estate in a few minutes."
"Why did you come yourself?" Helios asked. "Couldn't you have sent a subordinate?"
"Subordinates aren't allowed in Area 2," Sara replied. "Surely you knew that?"
"I didn't. Why the restriction?"
"The Area system was established by the Second King," Sara explained, launching into a history lesson. "Area 4 is for the lower class—people with no status or wealth, like you used to be."
No need to rub it in, Helios thought dryly.
"Area 3 is for the middle class—those who can afford small luxuries. Area 2 is for the upper class—the wealthy who lack noble titles. And Area 1? That's for the Nobles, the Seeker Clans, and the Royal Family. It's the seat of true power. By law, people can not cross into an area they don't belong to."
The driver pulled the car to a stop. "We've arrived," he announced.
"Thank you for the history lesson," Helios said as he stepped out. He looked up and froze. "That... is a mansion. You said 'house,' Sara. This is a white and gold palace."
A row of servants stood neatly by the entrance, bowing in perfect unison as they approached. Helios and Luna exchanged a look of pure bewilderment.
"Get used to it, Leader," Sara said with a faint smile. "The car is yours as well. But before you settle in, we're going shopping. You and your sister have been wearing those rags for far too long."
She raised a hand, and the servants retreated inside.
"I'd love to buy her clothes," Helios admitted, "but I don't exactly have any cash on me."
"I invited you, so I'll pay," Sara said. "But don't think it's a gift. You'll repay me eventually."
They drove to a high-end district filled with boutiques. They stopped at a shop called Vauxhall, where a clerk greeted them with a deep bow. "Welcome, Lady Sara. It has been quite some time."
"It has. Take this girl and find her the finest dresses in the shop," Sara commanded.
Luna looked at Helios, her eyes wide with nerves. "Brother?"
"It's okay, Luna. Go with them."
A few minutes later, the curtains parted. Luna stepped out wearing a delicate pink dress adorned with intricate floral patterns.
"She looks incredible," Helios whispered. "She looks good in anything."
"Try the blue one," Sara directed.
Luna returned in a light blue dress with flowing wave designs. "She really does have a natural grace," Sara remarked. "Much better than that other guy I have to buy clothes for."
"Who are you talking about?" Helios asked.
"Nova, of course. That ugly fool has no taste."
Are they dating? Helios wondered. They seem strangely close.
A worker leaned in and whispered into Sara's ear. "Miss Sara, the owner would like a word with you."
She knows the owner? If my senses weren't heightened, I never would have heard that, Helios noted.
Sara stood up. "Wait here, Leader. Keep trying on clothes; I'll be back shortly."
When she returned a few minutes later, she sat back down with a sigh. "Have you been waiting long, Leader?"
"Not at all. Thank you again for doing this for Luna."
"It's nothing... between the two of us," Sara said, letting out a soft laugh.
Suddenly, a strange impulse hit Helios. A familiar irritation bubbled up in his chest—the exact feeling he got whenever he was around a certain fox-masked idiot. He looked Sara dead in the eyes.
"You're not Sara," Helios said firmly.
"Oh? You found me out that quickly?" 'Sara's' face began to ripple and shift, the white dress melting away into Nova's usual attire. "What gave it away?"
"I suddenly felt like punching you," Helios grumbled. "What are you doing here? Where is she?"
"That's not very nice! Sara told me she was coming here with you, so I thought I'd play a trick."
WHACK!
A hand descended on the back of Nova's head as the real Sara appeared behind him. "Sorry if this idiot caused any trouble, Leader," she said, looking disgusted.
"I have to ask," Helios said, looking between them. "Are you two dating or something?"
"Absolutely not! That's disturbing!" Sara cried, her face twisted in a grimace.
"Well," Nova added, rubbing his bruised head with a grin. "She is my sister."
Would you like to see how the "Blackthorn" siblings react to their first day in the mansion, or does a message from the Noble Faction arrive to interrupt their peace?