416- The Siege of Noctheria
POV Viktor Averwyn:
Seraphine came to me, listening to the conversation, but still marveling at the baby in her arms. The sight of them calmed me a little.
I looked at the beautiful girl, who resembled Aldren. Without being able to control myself, I reached out my arms, and she handed me the baby. I settled her against my chest, her beautiful, curious eyes on mine. I smiled like a fool.
"Zara likes you" — my brother said.
I stared at him, and something good, something special, flowed between us. She was my niece here with me. Our family still standing, despite everything. We understood that in a look of friendship and communion.
"Are you pregnant too?" — Nerin asked Seraphine, approaching and being introduced.
"Yes, it's a girl."
"Anton, Zara, and Zimeron will have company to play with. I can already see this house full of children!" — Nerin smiled and looked at Cezar, who was quiet, staring at her. She extended her hand. — "How are you? I don't think we've met."
"Fortunately, that error will be corrected now." — Seductive, he kissed her hand, giving his best smile. — "Cezar."
"Nerin."
It was obvious that my right arm, the most feared wolf in Averwyn after me, was behaving like a puppy dog next to the beautiful short-haired she-wolf. Aldren noticed it too, smirking.
Seraphine did not want to put the babies down. She sat at the kitchen table with the boy in her lap, while Elowen stayed with her daughter, both of them talking about pregnancy and motherhood.
Nerin went to make coffee, and Cezar made a point of helping, striking up a conversation, all friendly. Aldren sat beside me, and we began to talk.
I felt at peace. And relieved that my partner was well.
...
Everything was falling into place.
Except Noctheria.
The rotation of wolves around the perimeter continued, nothing changing. As if the past still lingered like a black cloud, capable of unleashing a storm at any moment and destroying everything we were building.
Edric and Aldren felt the same way. We went back there several times and, although we knew the magic was beyond our strength, we made other attempts to invade. Setting fire around the property, trying to tear it down. Nothing worked. The living gray energy surrounded everything like a protective film.
“How do they survive?” My younger brother tapped his fingers against the table in my office in Averwyn during one of our weekly meetings. Each time, it was held in a different territory. “I never knew what they fed on, not even the Mouthless One.”
“Magic. Or wickedness.” Aldren scoffed. “And to think I believed in them, thought they treated us like sons! That’s why you stopped attending the meetings, Viktor. You suspected them.”
“Everyone. Especially after I started recovering memories. I only returned when the memories got worse and I realized we might be in danger. I wanted the truth.” I shifted more comfortably in the chair. “If I had found out earlier, a lot could have been avoided. I would have killed Lucian and Konrad immediately.”
“And my daughter would still be alive.”
I didn’t need to say it aloud. They could imagine what filled my mind, and it irritated me.
“What harmed us most was the memory loss.” Edric looked at us both. “And that shows how powerful they are, even more than we imagined. Unique hybrid beings unlike anything we’ve ever seen. The thought that they can survive like this for centuries gives me chills. We need to get in there before we die. To protect our descendants.”
“And we will. Elowen told me she’s almost ready. She’s become much stronger these past few days. We’ll make another attempt soon.”
That was what I clung to.
Otherwise, our peace would never truly be complete.
The memories we had recovered became more frequent, though they still didn’t give us all the answers.
After the meeting, I returned home relieved, at least because Seraphine’s wolf had stopped appearing.
I stored away the pink liquid medicine Aldren had given me for when she had the baby and transformed. Along with the monthly injections. And, over the following weeks, we confirmed that the pregnancy was progressing well, without risks.
Seraphine began helping at the little school again, growing closer to everyone. And I returned to my work, with new stones and diamonds being discovered in the mines, while frequent meetings with my brothers remained constant.
Our relationship was no longer only about deciding laws and territories, but about a bond growing stronger and stronger. We had more memories of our parents, of how happy we had been in Astraluna. A place in Moldova completely destroyed after the attacks.
We had dinner at Edric and Lunara’s house, where Aldren, Elowen, and the pups welcomed us warmly. Seraphine was enchanted by Anton as well. It was good to see her getting along with my sisters-in-law.
We returned to Vila Rósia for the Pomana. It was a kind of dinner held to honor Zorvan Valerian, her father. The gypsies had a tradition of repeating it for months, until a full year had passed since the death.
That time, they welcomed me without so much fear, and I sat around the table in the blue house during a dinner hosted by Vasile. Seraphine wore jewelry I had given her and a long pink dress, looking like a true gypsy woman.
At last, she was allowing herself to grieve her father, crying and speaking about him with longing, but also with joy.
It was as if our lives were intertwining more and more. My people loved her, and hers slowly respected and accepted me.
I was no longer an enemy.
When we returned home, she settled onto my lap in the bedroom armchair, exchanging caresses, kisses, and conversation. She slid her fingers into my hair and looked into my eyes, whispering softly:
“Thank you.”