I faced the figure before , placing my hands on my hips as he stood there, silent for a long mont. Then, without a word, he sank to one knee.
"Master... It’s been so long," he said.
His voice had changed. Gone was the boyish lightness, replaced by a deep, husky tone that carried the weight of years spent on the battlefield.
Eric Delle Ferin Marisumus.
The war had shaped him into sothing formidable.
His once-sharpened features, youthful and striking, had matured into the chiseled visage of a warrior—handso in a way that was almost dangerous. His skin, no longer untouched, bore faint marks of battle, though none marred his beauty. If anything, they only added to the quiet intensity he carried.
His hair, golden as the sun, had grown slightly longer, tousled from years of war but still carrying that effortless charm. It frad his face in careless waves, a stark contrast to the fierce gleam in his eyes.
Scarlet red—his irises burned like embers, no longer just sharp but honed, refined by the crucible of battle. They held a quiet storm within them, a fire that had not been extinguished but tempered into sothing far deadlier.
His fra had filled out with power. He was tall, broader now, his once-lean figure transford into one of sheer strength. Muscle lined his body with the grace of soone who had fought through blood and fire, every movent carrying a lethal efficiency.
The weight of five years at war sat heavily upon him, yet there was no burden in his stance—only purpose.
Eric was here now.
Not as a boy.
But as a man forged in war.
"Please rise, Your Highness." I spoke and he stood up towering over by a couple of inches. His body had hulked over with the muscle that he had gained.
"How are you?" I asked and he smiled at , his eyes growing radiant.
"I’m fine, Master. How are you?" He asked.
I smiled, "I’m good too, as you can see."
"You don’t look like you’ve aged at all." He comnted and I chuckled.
I had made so changes in Ocean’s disguise though, my blue hair was longer now tied back in a ponytail tail and my face influenced a bit more by the age as how it should.
"You seem to have changed a lot," I said, "It’s almost like the puberty hit you like a truck."
"Pardon?" Eric seed confused and I shook my head.
"Nothing, I called you here for so work."
"What is it, Master?" He asked.
"It’s ti that the war would end, so, I want you to co with ."
Eric didn’t ask where and for what and just nodded.
"Yes, Master."
I reached out and placed my hand over his shoulder feeling his strong muscles beneath the tunic that he was wearing and smiled.
"You have grown really well, I feel kind of sad that I didn’t watch you grow."
Eric smiled, "It’s all thanks to you that I’m like this now, Master."
I removed my hand and looked at Lyall, "Let’s go now."
"There’s a problem, Master." He spoke instead as he looked out.
"Um..." Eric spoke and I sighed, I sensed it.
"He saw it too, right?" I prompted and Eric gave a sheepish smile.
"I tried to lose him on my way but I guess he figured it out."
I sighed with a small smile as I knew it would be impossible to evade him. He was my blood after all.
The figure dashed right through the dark treeline and darted past Lyall in a flash before I felt the strong arms wrap around my shoulders.
The scent of fresh pine and steel filled my senses, familiar and unmistakable.
I let out a soft chuckle. "How are you, Young Duke?"
A muffled sniffle was my only response.
I stilled. "Are you crying?" I gasped in mock surprise.
He shook his head stubbornly but didn’t let go.
Eric fidgeted awkwardly beside us, unsure of what to do.
"Step back and let see your face," I commanded gently.
Slowly, he pulled away, and I finally got a proper look at him.
Rune.
My brother.
My older brother.
His cherry blossom-colored hair shimred under the moonlight, the strands catching the silver glow as if woven from dusk itself. His golden eyes, once filled with a fierce protectiveness, now carried sothing deeper—a quiet relief, as if he had waited too long for this mont.
He had changed.
His face, once regal and refined with a hint of boyish charm, had sharpened into the striking features of a battle-hardened noble. His jawline was stronger, his cheekbones more pronounced. The elegant grace of royalty had not left him, but it had been shaped by war, tempered by experience.
His body had transford as well. He was no longer the older brother who had shielded in my youth with nothing but his wit and willpower. Now, he was taller, his fra broad and built with muscle, his strength no longer just a promise but a reality.
And yet, even with all the changes, in this mont, he was still my Rune.
I held him at arm’s length, studying him. "You’ve grown well."
His lips curled into a smirk, though his voice was uncharacteristically soft. "I had no choice. I had to be strong to see you again."
A lump ford in my throat, but I swallowed it down, smiling.
"And here you are."
Looking at them now—Rune, my steadfast older brother, and Eric, the boy I had ntored into a man—I could hardly believe how much ti had passed. These two had once been children under my guidance, their hands small in mine as they struggled through training, their eyes filled with determination and mischief.
Now, they were grown, nearly in their twenties, standing at the precipice of their own legacies. They were ready to take the reins of the kingdom in their hands, just as I had once envisioned.
And my prediction had co true.
They had beco so devastatingly handso that I could already hear the collective sighs of admiration from the noble ladies. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were relentlessly pursued. Perhaps I would have to protect them from swarms of suitors—or better yet, find them suitable brides myself.
I was lost in my musings when Rune’s sharp gaze narrowed. His voice, steady yet questioning, broke through my thoughts.
"But you didn’t call for . Why?"
I sighed, glancing at Eric before answering. "Because I need to take Prince Eric sowhere."
Rune’s jaw tightened slightly. "Then I’ll go too."
I t his gaze—unwavering, firm, filled with silent challenge. He wasn’t asking. He was daring to deny him.
A soft chuckle escaped . There was no point in arguing.
"All right," I agreed and Nox whooted before he flew over and found his spot over my shoulder.
Their focus shifted from to my shoulder, where Nox perched, his sleek black feathers gleaming under the moonlight.
Rune’s golden eyes narrowed slightly. "What’s that?"
"My pet," I said simply, stroking my fingers over Nox’s soft plumage. The owl let out a quiet, contented hoot, pressing closer to . "He couldn’t stay away for long, so he ca along."
Rune’s brows furrowed. "An owl?"
Eric reached out, curiosity flickering across his face, but the mont his fingers got too close, Nox flared his wings in warning, sharp electric blue eyes locked onto him like a predator sizing up its prey.
Eric quickly retracted his hand, chuckling. "All right, all right, I get it."
I smirked. "He doesn’t like being touched by anyone except and Kai."
As if rehearsed, both Rune and Eric spoke in unison. "Who’s Kai?"
I t their expectant gazes with an amused smile. "I’ll introduce you when we return."
That only seed to spark more intrigue. They turned to Lyall, as if expecting him to offer so kind of answer, but he remained silent, gazing out into the distance with his usual unreadable expression.
"We don’t have much ti," I said, shifting the focus back. "Lyall, go ahead and inform him that I’m coming."
Without a word, Lyall vanished into the night, his presence lting into the shadows like he had never been there at all.
Rune crossed his arms. "Where exactly are we going?"
I t his challenging stare with a teasing smile. "You’ll find out soon enough."
He huffed, clearly unimpressed with my evasiveness, but he didn’t push the matter further.
Eric, on the other hand, studied carefully, his scarlet eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Is it dangerous?"
I let out a soft chuckle, absentmindedly stroking Nox’s feathers. The owl shifted, adjusting his talons on my shoulder. "Not really,"
I walked towards the entrance of the cave and looked at the two grown up boys. If it were only Eric then I would have carried him all the way, but I couldn’t carry both of them.
"You’ll have to run since I can’t carry you."
"Ca-Carry!" Rune gasped.
"It’s nothing, don’t think about it."
I gave them a brief rundown of what needed to be done, watching as they listened attentively. Their eyes widened as they heard the spot that we were going to but they didn’t interrupt until I was done.
"Why are we going there, Master?" Eric asked tensed as a strained string.
I looked at him and smirked, "To solidify your win in this war, Prince Eric"
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