An unfamiliar scene lies out before him.
Beneath the shade of a great tree, a young Sirius cries, hugging his bloodied knee.
Tears fall from his red cheeks and seep into the open wound. His cries echo in the empty landscape until interrupted by a sluggish figure.
"Hush now, my little star."
The motherly shape takes hold and squeezes him tightly. The blank canvas bursts into a dance of warm pigments and hues.
Muffled whines dissolve a into tired sniffle. The palm of the figure brushes through the boy's short, umber hair. Stroking him gently, she shushes the boy, assuring him that "Everything will be alright."
Somehow her words make the pain fade away.
The woman brings him in closer so that nothing, not even the smallest particle, can come between them.
The loving embrace from his mother stops time in its entirety. Besides the two of them, nothing else exists in this realm. This quiet, painted world of dreams.
Is this real? Is this a memory?
It doesn't matter. Nothing does.
A final tear streams down and falls into the soft grass below.
~~~
Sunlight pokes through the velvet curtains and sweeps over the boy's eyelids. The boy rustles under the thick sheets before being torn away from his slumber.
A distant dream bleeds into the back of his mind, and Sirius's eyes greet his brightly lit bedroom. Something similar to a bird chirps outside the window. The comfort of the blankets and pillows hinders his ability to get out of bed, but seeing how he has a full day ahead of him, the promise of a new life compels him to rise.
Not even half-awake, he throws off the covers and rolls to the edge of the bed. The boy is on the brink of being considered naked. He didn't dare sleep on the fancy bed with those blood-stained clothes.
He drops down and fully folds the curtains, dimming the room in its entirety. Not that it matters much, since his eyes are still ninety percent closed.
Stumbling to where he left his clothes the night before, a folded pile of pajamas sits in front of the door.
Too tired to even be grateful, he slips on the comfy pants and long-sleeved robe. Forgetting to go brush his teeth, or whatever the equivalent here is, he ties the strap around his waist and uses his elbow to open the door.
His drowsy brain can't comprehend the labyrinth that is this mansion's hallways, so his slippers drag across the carpet until he miraculously finds the main stairwell.
Wilphrey had told him last night that breakfast would be served in the main kitchen. With that in his subconscious mind, he stumbles down the steps into the foyer. A dastardly yawn makes his eyes water as he wanders toward what he hopes to be the kitchen.
A small archway in the wall expands into a kitchen the size of a home. The left is brimming with pots, pans, spices, stoves, and other kitchenware. A slim, older man with an apron tends to a steaming pan.
Towards the center of the room is a white-marbled island with ten or so high-top chairs. Two of the seats are inhabited by a human and a lunim.
Korlin wears the same pajamas as Sirius. The boy eagerly chats with the blindfolded man.
Seeing him from the back, the lord really doesn't appear to have any wings. Is it only a female trait? No, there were males with wings in the city.
Brushing it off, Sirius creeps inside the warm, sweet-scented room.
"Ah, welcome," the slim cook greets the boy. "Take a seat, the food will be ready shortly." The man is blurry to Sirius, he's too tired to thank him, so he simply nods.
"Good morning, Sirius. Did you sleep well?" The wingless man, clothed with a much fancier robe, grins cheerfully.
"I think so..." Sirius mumbles, taking a seat one away from Korlin. His eyes heavy, he rests his head atop the cool counter.
"There, there..." Korlin pats him on the shoulder. Strangely, it soothes Sirius almost back into slumber. "Anyways, as I was saying-" Korlin turns back to the man with the tiny top hat. Does he sleep with that thing on? "You got your own little harem going on here, don't you?"
The lord starts choking on his water.
"H-Harem? Me?"
"Yes, you! I mean, come on, you got Pholy, Aureole, Hyacinth, Wilphrey... and that butler there, but he doesn't count."
"And Wilphrey does?"
"He's an honorary member of the harem. As long as he teaches me magic..."
"Unfortunately for you, I harbor no romantic feelings for anyone under this roof. Besides, everyone except for Wilphrey and Cilas are all around your age. I'm not that kind of man."
"You hardly look much older yourself."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
As those two converse, the distant sound of footsteps grows closer. Taking his head off the table, Sirius finds a girl walking around the corner.
Aureole, her hair down and messy, rubs her half-shut eyes as she shuffles in. With the coming of the morning sun, her irises have returned to their gradient blue.
"Good morning," Sirius manages to say, yawning in the process.
The girl stumbles over and sits right beside him.
"Good..." She doesn't finish her response. She falls asleep with her head in her hands.
"You can't even get out morning?" he jests.
"Shushy shush..."
Korlin abruptly breaks into a chuckle.
"You two aren't morning people, huh?"
"Nuh-uh," Sirius's head falls back onto the table.
Aureole's hand raises into the air before limply falling right back down.
"There's actually a good reason for that," Rawlin says. "Lumalins are closely connected to the moon and the night, and as such, they lose energy during the day." The lord's wisdom bestows upon them. "It's only natural they hate mornings."
"Lumalins?" Sirius mutters.
"It's another term for lunims..." Aureole mumbles back.
"Well, what about you?" Korlin questions the man. "You seem well awake."
"I'm used to pulling all-nighters and staying up the entire day."
"Ooo, they're still called all-nighters here, huh?"
"Oh- Aha," the man stutters a little. "I heard the phrase from a human a long time ago, and I liked how it sounded."
Something about this guy, apart from his sketchy appearance, just feels off. Looking at his face gives a false sense of innocence...
"Ah, makes sense, makes sense. What's the longest you've ever stayed up?"
"Hmm, it was about... I want to say five days."
"Fi-Five days?! That's crazy! Why were you up that long??"
"Let's just say I used to make a lot of dumb decisions," he plasters a smile. A twitch in his half-covered cheeks portrays lingering regret.
"Aww, come on... Gimme more than that!"
The conversation trails off, and Sirius watches the two with a faint grin.
Somehow noticing this, Aureole asks: "What's got you so cheery?"
"Hm? Oh, I ha- I haven't really had a morning like this before... Waking up, having breakfast with a bunch of people... Apart from when I stayed at hotels, I guess..."
It's true. For the past few years, every morning was the same. He'd wake up and make breakfast, usually toast, by himself. Mornings were quiet and empty. And he liked that, but... they were lonely.
Occasionally, he'd see his brother or one of his parents, but he'd always avoid interaction if possible. Speaking with them only brought him sadness. If only he had spoken with them more... Than maybe, just maybe... He wouldn't feel this much regret. He could've felt like he had a family. Like he used to.
But sitting here with these three, and a cook, fills him with nostalgic warmth. It reminds him of a hotel breakfast, ones he'd have when on vacation... He's always liked those.
"Ho...tels?"
"Ah, nothing."
-That's right... There's no hotels in this world.
It seems like such a strange concept. Surely people in this world need places to stay when away from home, no? On his first day here, he surely entered what's akin to a love hotel. Then again, the man in there didn't recognize what an "inn" was. Maybe they're just named something different.
Things in this world have similarities in naming conventions to Earth, but there also exist some blatant oddities. Names like "night-rise" aren't common at all where he comes from. Though there is logic attached to these titles.
Timekeeper had given him that gummy to speak and understand the language, but the slang and way of speaking weren't obtained. How did that gummy even work? Hmm. It's too early to contemplate otherworldly mechanics.
...
There are still empty seats.
"Where are the others?" Sirius asks the drowsy girl. All of this thinking has slowly but surely begun waking him up.
"Hyacinth doesn't usually join us for breakfast, and Wilphrey probably has some errands. But, Pholy should be up by now..."
"Oh!" Korlin chimes in. "I'll go look for her!"
The energetic boy jumps out of his seat and prances over towards the doorway. He barely turns the corner, when- Thud -His feet hit something on the floor.
"Ow..." The groggy cry comes from a short girl lying in the middle of the hallway.
"...Why?"
"I sleepy."
Pholy takes a seat considerably far from Korlin, right beside Aureole. Both of their bed-headed hair tangles together as they lie next to one another.
Ceramic plates are placed in front of everyone one by one. Gilded egg whites absorb a bright yellow ball of yolk in their centers. Cut meats equivalent to small steaks steam and soak in bubbling juices. Shining fruits add color to the painting that is this marvelous plate. Herbs of green are sprinkled over the luscious foods.
"Thank you..." Sirius says, stunned.
-This is breakfast?!
After everyone gets their initial plate, the butler sets down glasses of citrus juice. These are followed by more smaller plates, each with their own delicacies or dipping sauces. It truly looks like a royal supper fit for a king.
An entire feast is presented before the boy. It's so much more, and so drastically different from any breakfast or meal he's ever had. Is this a normal breakfast for this land? Or is this just because we're in a mansion, surrounded by royalty? How loaded are these people??
It's a tad bit... overwhelming.
"Is this alright...?" Sirius asks to no one in particular.
Korlin is already stuffing his face. The lord and Pholy have begun as well.
"What was that?" Aureole moves sluggishly into an upright position. Water forms at the base of her eyelashes due to the rising steam.
"I can eat this... right?" It's just food... Why does it feel so surreal?
"Um... Yes?" She's a bit confused. "Are you alright? Did you get sick? It was cold last night-"
"No, no, I'm fine, it's just-" He stares at his foreign, food-stuffed plate. "Never mind..."
"...S-"
"So," the lord speaks. "After breakfast, Pholy, would you mind taking our new friends to get a fresh set of clothes?"
"...Pardon?"
Pholy is flabbergasted at the suggestion.
"Would you mind-"
"No, no... I heard you."
"So..."
"No."
"Hmm, I expect the garden to be shining when I return then." Brushing off the tired girl, he directs his attention to the cook. "In that case, Cilas, would you mind fitting them?"
"Not at all, my lord."
The cook, butler, whatever he is, bows in obedience. He looks the type of man to do anything he is told; his posture reflects his dignified persona. A strong mustache is nestled underneath his nostrils; without it, the gentleman would likely appear infantile.
"You think this guy knows magic?" Korlin flails himself across the gaped seat to whisper in Sirius's ear.
"Probably. I mean, look at his mustache."
"You're right... That is some mean facial hair right there. It must be magic."
"Has to be."