"Lily, could you sit down at the table? Your sister will be here soon," Reed said, his voice calm but firm.
"Alright, Father," Lily murmured, giving a small nod. With a quiet sigh, she obediently took her seat.
Moments later, Luna stepped into the garden.
Reed's eyes immediately found her, concern softening his features. "Luna, sweetheart, are you alright? You look a little worn out."
She exhaled slowly, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Still got that sharp eye, huh?" she said dryly. "I'm fine."
Reed smirked faintly. "Always the smart mouth," he muttered, motioning to the empty chair. "Come on, sit."
As Luna pulled out her chair, her brow furrowed slightly. "What happened to you?" she asked.
His clothes were torn, dirt-smudged, and slashed in places—clear marks of a duel.
"I had a little spar with Nyx. Naturally, I won," he said, flashing a proud grin, clearly fishing for praise.
Luna clapped her hands in exaggerated admiration. "Wow, great job, Dad! Truly inspiring!"
Reed beamed, wearing the compliment like a crown.
"Luna! Luna!" Lily chirped excitedly.
"Yes, Lily?" Luna replied, sipping her tea with feigned elegance.
"I had an etiquette lesson today—and my teacher praised me!" Lily puffed up proudly. "Last time she said I was a lost cause!"
Luna nearly choked on her tea, coughing as she stared at her little sister's brutal honesty.
"That's wonderful, Lily!" she managed between coughs. "I'm sure you'll shine even brighter next time."
Still, a thought lingered in the back of her mind. Is this really how noble families behave? Somehow, she doubted it. This household is hopeless.
Her gaze drifted toward two suspiciously silent figures.
"Keal, Kane… you're unusually quiet," she said, narrowing her eyes.
The twins exchanged a glance, then looked to Reed for permission.
At his subtle nod, they spoke in perfect unison. "We've been grounded. We were naughty. Father forbade us from speaking."
"Ah, as expected," Luna muttered—perhaps a little too loudly.
The twins scowled at her in perfect harmony.
"That's not nice, Sister!" they exclaimed together.
"Who ever said I was nice?" Luna replied smoothly, flashing them a teasing wink.
The conversation mellowed into easy chatter as everyone returned to their meal.
I never knew life could be this peaceful, Luna thought, gazing at the distant oak trees. A soft, genuine smile tugged at her lips as she chewed her food.
Time slipped by, filled with laughter, playful jabs, and warm glances. The children raced around the garden, shrieking with glee, while the adults sat back and watched with contentment.
Before they realized it, the sky had deepened into a blanket of stars.
"Alright, time for bed," Reed announced, stretching. "Nyx, we've got a long day tomorrow."
"Aww, okay!" Lily pouted but scampered toward the mansion.
Luna, feeling a little drowsy herself, gently took Aria's hand and leaned into her. "I had fun today, Aria."
Aria blushed, caught off guard by the tenderness, but quickly squeezed Luna's hand back. "Me too," she whispered shyly.
Luna looked up at her and grinned from ear to ear.
Together, under the hush of the night, they all made their way back to the mansion—hearts light, laughter lingering in the cool evening air.