Elias Leywin POV
"Budge over, El!" I shouted, digging my elbow into her side as I tried to claim more space on the oversized plush seat by the front window.
"Shut it, Li!" Ellie snapped, shoving me back without hesitation.
The force caught me off guard. My balance tipped, and for a split second, I teetered on the edge before catching myself against the cushioned armrest.
I shot her a glare and pushed back, not nearly as hard, but enough to make her stumble into the curved wall that walled us. She huffed, eyes narrowing, already winding up for another retaliation.
We continued out back and forth until an ornate carriage rolled to a stop in the Manor's main plaza.
Arthur Leywin POV
"Sir, we have arrived at Helstea Manor."
I stepped down from the carriage once the door opened, my boots meeting the stone with a quiet scrape. The evening air settled around me, cool and steady.
"Thank you," I smiled as I handed the driver a few copper coins. He tipped his hat in thanks before climbing back up, the reins snapping lightly as the carriage rolled away.
The sound faded quickly.
Silence followed.
I adjusted my hold on Sylvie, shifting her slightly so her head rested more securely against my arm. Her body remained still, her breathing slow and even. I reached out through our bond. She ignored me.
I exhaled through my nose and continued up the stairs.
I hadn't even reached the top when the doors burst open.
The sound struck hard against the still air.
Light spilt out across the steps, framing two small figures in the entrance.
Ellie stood at the front, feet planted, hands set firmly on her hips. Her chin lifted as if she meant to scold me the moment I came closer. It didn't hold.
Lias stood just behind her, arms crossed, a grin already breaking across his face. He didn't try to hide it.
I felt my lips lift before I could stop them.
Ellie shot forward. Her feet barely touched the steps as she kicked down to me. The top of her head drove straight into my stomach, knocking the air from my lungs in a sharp burst.
My grip tightened on Sylvie as I raised her out of the way, turning my body to shield her. The impact still forced a strained breath from me, but I held my ground.
Ellie didn't pull back. Her arms wrapped around my waist, locking tight as her face pressed into my chest.
"Welfom vack," she mumbled, her voice muffled.
I blinked, still drawing in a steady breath. "Sorry?"
I tried to ease her back enough to look at her, but her grip only tightened in response.
"She's happy to see you, Art."
Lias reached us in the next instant, closing the distance faster than any normal stride should allow. He stopped just beside us, his grin softening as he looked up at me.
Ellie lifted her head. "I said welcome back, Big Brother."
"Welcome home, Big bro," Lias added, stepping in and wrapping his arms around me from the other side.
The weight of them both pressed against me.
"Thank you, Ellie. Lias," I said, my voice quieter than I intended. "It's good to be back."
I shifted slightly, trying to free enough space to breathe. "Now… how about you two let me go?"
"That depends," Ellie said, her eyes narrowing as she searched my face. "Are you going to leave again?"
A small breath slipped from me.
I shook my head, meeting her gaze.
"No. I'm not."
Elias Leywin POV
I didn't let go right away. Neither did Ellie.
She had her face pressed so tightly against his chest that her breath pushed faintly against my shoulder. Her fingers curled into his shirt, knuckles paling from the force of it. She held on like letting go might make him disappear.
I understood that more than I wanted to admit.
So I kept my arms around him, too.
"Alright, you two," Arthur said, his hand settling on my head before moving to Ellie's, his touch slow and careful, "I really do need to breathe."
Ellie let out a small sound in protest, but she relented, loosening enough for Art to move.
I stepped back half a pace, my hands slipping away last. My fingers lingered for a moment against his shirt before I forced them to drop.
It wasn't that I didn't believe him. I shoved down my doubts before they could surface, burying them somewhere deep where Ellie wouldn't see them on my face.
"See?" Arthur smiled, looking between us. "I told you. I'm home."
Ellie scrubbed at her face with the back of her sleeve, though the redness around her eyes didn't fade.
"You'd better stay." She glared up at him, trying for something stern.
Arthur let out a quiet laugh. "I will, don't worry your pretty head."
Footsteps echoed from inside the manor. I looked up towards the patter. Mum stood at the top of the stairs.
Her hand flew to her mouth. Her face shifted, and she ran towards her eldest. Her skirt gathered in her fists as she hurried down the steps, each movement faster than the last. Dad followed close behind, his stride longer, his face set tight in a way I hadn't seen since I was a kid... a younger kid.
She collided with her son, her arms wrapping around him with enough force to make him shift back. Dad joined a second later, his arms closing around both of them.
"Art," she breathed, inhaling his very being. Her shoulders shook. Her grip tightened. "I was so worried," she managed through the hiccups of tears.
I've seen Mum cry before, but this wasn't the same as back then.
Ellie's hand slipped into mine. Her fingers cold.
She looked at me. To me. "Lias…" she whispered.
I looked down at her.
Her brows pulled together, confusion sitting plainly across her face. She glanced between them.
I didn't answer.
I couldn't.
Because I didn't understand it either.
We missed him, of course. We worried about him. We always thought of him. But this...
Arthur held them both, his voice low as he spoke. I couldn't catch the words. His hand moved in slow circles along Mum's back, the motion quiet and constant.
Dad pulled back, though his hand lingered on Arthur's shoulder. He wiped at his face quickly as he tried to hide the tears that had reddened his eyes.
"Come inside," he said, his voice rough. "All of you."
Mum nodded, though she didn't let go completely. Her hand stayed wrapped around Arthur's arm, fingers curled tight.
Ellie squeezed my hand as we followed them in.
She leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Why are they crying like that?" she asked. "He was only gone a little while."
I glanced at her again. Her eyes were still red. Her nose had gone pink. "You're in the exact same state, you tell me."
"I don't know." She grumbled as she walked beside me, her eyes focused on her feet.
The moment we crossed into the manor, voices carried toward us.
"I guess that's our cue?"
Elijah stood halfway down the stairs, one hand resting lightly against the railing. His arms crossed loosely, his posture relaxed in a way that suggested he had been waiting there for a while. A grin tugged at one corner of his mouth. "About time you lot came inside," he said, adjusting his glasses with a small push. "I was starting to think you'd set up camp out there."
"It's good to see you, too, Elijah." Art laughed as he walked towards his friend.
I scrunched my nose, looking up at him. "Took you long enough to come down. What were you even doing up there?"
"I just figured I'd spare myself the sight of you crying all over him." He smirked.
"I wasn't crying," I shot back, heat creeping up my neck.
"Arthur Leywin! The prodigal son returns!" Uncle Vincent's voice filled the hall before he even came into view. He appeared at the upper landing, his presence as loud as ever. Aunt Tabitha followed just behind him, her steps light, her expression warm.
"We're glad you're back safe, Arthur," she said, her voice softer as she reached him and drew him into an embrace.
"Thank you," Arthur replied, bowing his head slightly. "For everything. Taking care of my family. Letting us stay-"
"Ah, ah." Uncle Vincent cut him off with a raised finger, his grin wide. "None of that. You'll have me tearing up if you keep talking like that."
Tabitha smiled, her hand resting lightly against Arthur's arm. "He's right. You don't need to stand on ceremony here. You belong here. You're family"
Arthur smiled and nodded at the older woman.
With him home, the room felt full. Complete even.
Warmth settled into the air in a way that reached deeper than the fire crackling somewhere further inside.
I had been here before. Many times. Always when he came home. But it was different now as it was permanent.
Vincent's gaze followed Arthur's briefly before he let out a knowing laugh, "If you're looking for Lily, she's not here."
"Oh?" he smirked.
"She's at Xyrus Academy," Tabitha said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "She started last autumn."
"She's already there? That's incredible." Art smiled as he spun praise for a girl who, if she were here, would've devoured it.
Aunt Tabitha's smile softened. "She wanted to be here today. Classes kept her in the dorms."
"All thanks to you, Arthur. Never thought we'd see the day." Uncle Vincent laughed.
Arthur rubbed the back of his neck, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Come now," Uncle Vincent said, clapping his hands together. The sound echoed lightly through the hall. "We've got a proper meal waiting. No use standing around."
---
"Lias. Wake up."
I groaned in response and buried my face deeper into the pillow, dragging the blanket over my head. The world beyond it could wait. It should wait.
"Come on, Lias."
Arthur's voice cut through the blanket. Softer this time, but it carried that same persistence I knew too well.
"Up."
I cracked one eye open, squinting against the faint light leaking through the curtains. His face hovered above me, far too awake for this hour. Behind him stood Dad, arms crossed, watching as if this were some kind of planned operation.
Of course it was.
"Why?" I croaked, my voice muffled against the pillow. "It's not even morning."
Dad's mouth curved slightly. "It is. Just earlier than you'd like. Get up."
I pulled the blanket tighter.
It didn't help.
Arthur grabbed my covers and yanked them away in one smooth motion. Before I could grab it back, Dad stepped in, hooking his arms under mine.
The next thing I knew, I was upright.
My feet barely found the floor before they started dragging me forward.
"This is abuse," I muttered, letting my head loll back as they hauled me along.
Neither of them granted me the courtesy of an answer.
The moment we stepped outside, the air hit me. It was Cold. Sharp enough to cut through whatever sleep still clung to me.
I sucked in a breath as the chill settled into my skin. Dew soaked into my clothes where they brushed the grass, the damp seeping through in seconds. The yard stretched out ahead, washed in the faint glow of sunrise. Light bled across the horizon, just beginning to touch the edges of everything.
And standing in the centre of it was Elijah.
Because, of course, he was out here too.
He stretched as if he had been awake for hours, arms raised overhead, back arching slightly before he straightened. His glasses caught the early light, flashing for a moment as he lowered his arms.
"About time you got here, lazy bones," he called with a smirk.
Arthur let go of me, giving a light push forward. "You should've tried carrying him. He weighs more when he's asleep."
"I do not," I muttered, rubbing at my eyes.
"You do." The two pre-teens said together.
I scowled, though I didn't bother arguing. My legs still felt heavy, but the cold had done its job. Sleep had nowhere left to hide.
Elijah brushed at his knees, flicking away the damp before straightening fully.
"Why'd you drag me out here?" I groaned, letting myself drop to my knees in the grass. The chill seeped through instantly. "This better be important."
Arthur only smiled, shifting his attention past me. "Dad, what stage are you at?"
"I've been bottlenecked at Dark-orange for the best part of two years," he said.
Arthur nodded once, as he'd expected him to. Then he glanced toward Elijah.
"And you?"
"Mid-orange," Elijah replied, pushing his glasses up slightly. There was a hint of pride in the way he said it, even if he tried to play it off. "Not bad, considering I don't train like a man possessed."
Arthur huffed a quiet laugh.
Then he looked at me.
"And you, Lias?"
I shifted slightly, suddenly very aware of where I stood. Or knelt.
"Dark-orange," I muttered. " hit it last month."
"Dark-orange?!" my father and friend exclaimed.
Arthur waved them off before they could say more.
"Not bad," he said. "You're catching up faster than I expected."
Warmth spread through my chest. "Thanks," I murmured at his words.
Arthur reached into his pocket and pulled out a small green core. It caught the light faintly as he turned it in his hand before extending it toward Dad.
"Here," he said. "I used some of it while recovering, but it should still push you through, the barrier to mid-orange."
Dad took it slowly. For a moment, he just looked at it.
"This Art… "I can't-"
I leaned slightly, peering over my father's shoulder. "If you don't want it-"
Arthur cut in before I could finish. "Take it," he said. "You'll need it." He pointed a finger at me. "And to stay ahead of this one."
Dad gave a firm nod, closing his hand around the core before stepping away.
The moment he left, Arthur rolled his shoulders, flexing his hands. A series of quiet pops followed.
"Since he's busy," Arthur said, stepping onto the grass, "we might as well use the time."
I frowned. "Use it how?"
His grin answered louder than any words could.
He touched the floor and sculpted two stone blades from the stretched earth. He spun the twin blades, testing their balance. Satisfied, he held the one in his left hand to me.
I raised both hands and took a step back. "No way." I protested. "I'm honoured, Art, but-"
He threw the blade at me.
I caught its handle and held it weakly.
"If you want to get stronger, then you'll need to spar with me." he said, rolling his shoulder.
A breath left me. "Fine," I groaned as I tightened my grasp on my brother's construct. "But I ain't gonna hold back, big bro."
"Good, because I wasn't planning on doing so!" he smirked as he shot towards me, sword raised high above his head.