" Hey.. Are you coming down or what? " he asked after looking around a bit.
I ran down and jumped right into his open arms.
" Good job arriving on time. " I said, clinging unto his neck.
He lifted me a little above his head and smelled my hair like he always did.
" I didn't wanna stay .. you know with all the women.. " he said, smiling while looking up.
" Idiot.. you're all mine. " I kissed him deeply.
We stood there devouring each other until we were completely out of breath.
" How was Gilly? " Carlos came over with my mother and tapped his shoulder.
He looked aside and let me down first.
" She is well.. bored, but, well. Also, Heimy says hello. " he said with a warm smile.
" You saw him ? " Carlos asked.
" Hnn.. good lad.." he took my hand and sat me on his lap while Mother bought some food. " Thank you.. yeah, I managed to avoid others, and we had some tea before I left. No shopping. "
Veila and Manata came in just as he lifted his spoon.
" Master, welcome home. " said Manata.
" Lord Zephyr.. I came as requested. " Veila bowed a little, looking exhausted.
" Thanks, Manata. Good night. " I got up and pushed the boy out the door before he prolonged his stay so he could ask questions.
" Oh.. yeah, alright, already I'm going .. I'll see you tomorrow Master! " he said from the door before I shut it close.
" Sit down, Veila .. I'm sorry for calling you over this late. " I ushered her towards an empty chair and sat her down. " You must be tired from the work. "
" It's no bother.. Oh, thank you. " she accepted Mothers steaming hot chocolate.
" The work will be done a lot faster like that.. the soldiers are a big help. " she said, cooling her cup.
" Is that so? " Zephyr looked over at Carlos.
" Aye.. they stood around long enough. " he answered, winking at me.
Zephyr ate while Veila told us about her own house.
" ..I'm hoping Lady Nifa can paint it for me. " she finished telling her very specific shade of red she wanted.
I was quick to assure her.
" She will .. " her business of colouring, everything was still booming. " I see random black and white trees and yellow rocks and boulders around the village. People ask her to colour the most useless things. "
Zephyr smiled politely and took his empty plate away to return with some tea for himself.
" I'm quite surprised no one asked me about my bag. " he kicked the bag on the ground a little.
I honestly forgot about it.
" What did you brought Zeph? " asked Carlos.
He smiled and pulled out a set piece of identical armour from the bag. " Well, I remembered you forgetting about this.. so I asked Gilly for help. There you go. "
He handed over the armour to a very happy man.
" Zeph, I don't know what to say .. thank yo ..
" That's how you give good gifts.." he cut him off, tapping his hand on the table. " .. no luxury shit .. just listening and remembering. " he added, pointing at his own ears and head.
Carlos silently took the armour off the table, and all his gratitude vanished with it. My mother turned to my husband, seeing Carlos expression.
" Zephyr.. can't you be a little..
" Hush, hush dear mother in law and wait until he gifts you first." he said, stopping mother's attempts to defend her man.
Then he kept pulling out gemstones.
" Oh yeah.. Gilly wants you to use these stones for a crown of sort. " he added a piece of paper with an exquisitely drawn crown on it.
It looked as if someone bent a leafy branch in half, without a front, and adorned it with gemstones placed all around the outside.
Carlos didn't care about the gems while Viela was drooling a little seeing them.
" The crown of the Caesars. " he whispered after examining the drawing.
" The what? " asked Mother before I could.
" It's nothing but silly legends.. even this drawing just speculations. In my family history, it's said that once upon a time, the Ancients left a crown intended for the complete ruler of these lands. " he explained.
Zephyr looked uninterested. He probably heard it already.
" Why would she want me to reforge this? "Carlos asked Zephyr.
" She said you understand when you see it.." he rested his head on my shoulder. " I told her a letter might be useful but .. it's not needed for a member of the illustrious house of Em .. she said. ..so there you have it. "
" Hnn.. I need to think but sure.. we can get some gold and ask Rachel to attach these. " he flicked a little red one away. " ..still what could she want with this.. is beyond me. "
He lifted the paper towards the light before putting it away.
" So much wealth.. it's unbelievable. " Veila gasped as the little red stone rolled off the table, landing somewhere only Ehlite knew.
" Right ..well, it's materials for now. " Zephyr said while taking out two vials of blood. " Can I ask you to use your power cheking these two samples? "
He offered her the vials of red liquid.
" Of course. May I ask who these belong to? If it's not a prob..
" Stop it.. of course you can ask. It's from Gilly Em and a commander friend of mine. " he smiled at Carlos mainly.
He thought about it for a second.
" Shelling? " he asked.
" 100 points.. good job. " he smiled as we waited for an explanation.
All three of us turned towards Carlos.
" Oh.. he is the commander of the Holy Archers and a child of Ehlite as well. Mario Shelling, His power are ..explosions. " he said.
" Away.. and.. Boom! "
Zephyr imitated a flying arrow and the following explosion.
Carlos continued.
" It's a frighteningly potent ability.. especially in war situations.. but how did you get his blood? " he asked after shuddering a little.
I could imagine an explosion in the midst of heavy cavalry.. ripping, devastating their foes without mercy. What a frightening ability indeed.
I checked on my husband.
" I asked.. " he said shrugging.
It was short .. too short to be the complete truth, but since Viela was sitting here, we understood the rest will have to wait. If he even tells us anything.
" Anyway.." he turned towards Viela. " ..whenever you ready. "
We turned towards the girl who opened one vial and, without hesitation, poured it into her mouth and emptied a cup of tea to wash it down.
Her eyes closed, and the familiar white glow enveloped her eyelids.
It took a few seconds, and then she opened her eyes. They were back to its original colour.
She took a deep breath ..