Leon raised the gun and fired. Each bullet struck a balloon with a sharp pop, but it felt as if they were hitting the stall owner's heart instead. After years of running this rigged game, he had never seen anyone so accurate. He could only watch, frustrated and helpless.
But one person there felt the exact opposite.
In Rossweise's eyes, the man before her was the picture of focus. He was a little stubborn, but it only added to his intensity. With every pull of the trigger, a balloon burst, followed by his confident, winning smile.
"Daddy is so cool! So handsome!" Muen cheered from the sidelines.
Noah watched too, her face full of hope and admiration for her concentrating father.
The feeling was universal, from little Muen and Noah to Rossweise herself. By the time Rossweise recognized the warmth in her own chest, Leon was already pushing a giant, soft teddy bear into her arms. It was warm and fuzzy.
While dragons typically found bears inedible, as a stuffed toy, it was suddenly very cute.
She saw it in her daughters' joyful reactions. This was a facet of parenting—a father winning prizes for his children—that Rossweise was still learning to understand. But she saw no harm in it. She fully supported Leon doing this for their daughters.
Rossweise lowered her gaze. She held the giant bear and gently rested her chin on its plush head.
When Leon had handed it to her, she had refused. He suggested they just throw it away, since they had already won it.
Rossweise insisted that was wasteful. And so, the mother and her two daughters each ended up carrying a giant teddy bear, drawing the stares of every dragon they passed.
Leon, empty-handed and tailless, also received looks. It was clear to all that this haul was the work of the peculiar male dragon who hid his tail.
Eventually, the stares settled on the teddy bears themselves. Feeling the weight of the public gaze, Rossweise hid her face in the soft head of her bear.
"Be careful not to hold your breath so long you suffocate," Leon said, breaking the silence.
"Is it so difficult for you to say something pleasant?"
"Why should I? This teddy bear has already said a hundred nice things to me. If I say one nice thing to you, and I talk to you twenty times a day, I wouldn't have to be nice to you for over three months."
"I see you've recovered well. Your mouth is fully functional again."
Leon raised his hands in surrender and mimed zipping his lips shut. They spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying themselves at the Young Dragons Amusement Park.
A few dragons, likely nobles or leaders from other clans, recognized the Silver Dragon Queen. Rossweise exchanged polite, formal words with them, as was expected.
.
.
.
As evening fell, they returned to Selena's studio to collect their photos. The family portrait was large, while the school photo and the sisters' pictures were smaller, all neatly packaged.
On the flight back, the father and daughters rode on Rossweise's back in her magnificent dragon form.
Muen was eager to open the family portrait, but Leon stopped her gently.
"Let's open it at home, Muen."
"Okay, Muen will listen to Dad."
After a few hours of flight, they arrived at the Silver Dragon Temple around 10 p.m.
Head Maid Anna had prepared a late-night snack. After they ate, the four of them gathered in the nursery—Leon's usual room—to finally open the photos.
The first was the large family portrait. It was a beautiful image of the four of them, forming the heart with their tails and hands, all smiling happily. It perfectly captured the "harmony" Rossweise desired for their family.
Selena had also included four smaller copies, perfect for a bedside table or desk.
Rossweise took out Noah's school application photo and gave it to her. "Take good care of this, Noah."
"Yes, Mom."
"And this is the photo of Muen with Mom and Dad. Muen, you keep this yourself."
Muen took it carefully with both hands. "I know, Mom."
"Well, the rest are photos of you two sisters. Take them to your room and look at them later."
"Okay!"
Just as the two were about to leave, Noah paused. She pointed to a separately wrapped package. "What photos are in this one?"
Leon noticed it too. He picked it up, gauging its weight. "It feels like there's only one photo inside."
"Dad, let's open it and see!" Muen suggested.
"Alright."
Leon opened the separate package. A light golden card fell out first. Rossweise picked it up. Written in elegant script was: "May the silver light forever shine in the eyes of the beloved."
Rossweise frowned slightly. "What does this mean…"
At that moment, Leon pulled out the photo. He looked at it and grew very quiet.
Muen, pressed against his arm, stood on her toes to see. Her reaction was the complete opposite of her father's.
The little dragon girl wagged her tail happily, the fluff on her head bouncing. "Mom and Dad look so good together!"
Rossweise raised an eyebrow. "Look good together? What is it, Leon?"
Leon pressed his lips together and handed her the photo.
It held no fancy backdrop, no expensive gowns or suits. It was just her and Leon, sitting casually in chairs, sharing a smile. Selena had captured a moment without their knowledge—a moment where their gaze held no hatred, no petty arguments, no annoyance.
In that single, stolen moment, their eyes seemed to hold only each other.
Suddenly, Rossweise understood the card's message. "May the silver light forever shine in the eyes of the beloved…"
Before the couple could process when this was taken, Muen, her tail still wagging excitedly, chimed in, "Mom, Dad, now that I think about it, you don't have any wedding photos!"
Leon looked up at Rossweise and found her already looking at him.
They held each other's gaze. A heavy silence filled the space between them.
Leon: "Wedding what photos?"
Muen: "Wedding photos!"
Rossweise: "What gown photos?"
Muen: "Wedding photos!"
Leon & Rossweise: "What wedding gown?"
Muen: "Wedding photos! Ahhhh!"
Wedding photos?
The idea was impossible. It would never, ever happen in this lifetime.