The carriage finally arrived at the village of Malvin after days of traveling. Unlike Dawn's former village that was quiet, tree-filled, and nestled deep in nature—Malvin was loud and bustling with just a small forest beside it.
The scent of smoke from chimneys filled the air, stone houses lined the paved streets, and people walked with purpose, weaving in and out of shops and homes. There were fewer trees, fewer birds, fewer colors.
But the buildings stood tall and firm, a sign of development. When the carriage came to a halt in front of a modest but sturdy-looking house, Martha and Dawn climbed down, stretching their legs. It wasn't much, certainly not grand, but compared to the tiny cottage Dawn had lived in with her mother, it felt like another world entirely.
They began unloading their belongings. Martha walked to the door and knocked, waiting patiently. When no one answered, she knocked again, this time louder. "Is anyone home?" she called out.
A few seconds passed before the door finally opened. Standing there was a tall, broad-shouldered man, around six feet, with dark hair, a kind but scary face, and a calm but firm presence. His eyes softened when he saw Martha. "Welcome home, honey. How was your trip?" Martha stepped inside, holding some of Dawn's things. Her voice, usually bright, was now heavy.
"It was terrible. Jane is dead."
The man froze. "What? how did that happen"
"It was the villagers," she said, voice low with disbelief and anger. "They burned her. I still can't understand how they could do that to someone so kind."
Dawn stood in the doorway, her eyes low. Martha walked back to her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "This is Jane's daughter, Dawn. The one I told you about. She doesn't have anywhere else to go, and I want her to stay here. With us."
The man looked at Dawn. His expression wasn't unkind, but it was clear he was unsure. The silence between them made Dawn shift uncomfortably. The air felt heavier. Eventually, he gave a small nod. "Of course. She can stay for as long as she needs to."
"That's perfect," Martha replied, a little relieved. Then she turned down the hallway and called out, "Igris! Come out here!"
A boy, not much older than Dawn, stepped out of a nearby room. He had pale skin, red hair like Martha's, and already carried the sturdy build of his father. "Yes, Mother?" he answered.
"I want you to take our new family member to your sister's room. She'll be staying there from now on."
Igris looked at Dawn, gave a friendly wave and a wide smile. "Hi."
"Hi," Dawn replied quietly. He turned and began walking. Dawn followed, her steps hesitant. When they reached the room, a younger girl with red hair but slightly darker jumped off the bed in excitement the moment she saw Dawn. "Who is she?" she asked, bouncing slightly.
"Instead of asking me," Igris said, shaking his head, "why don't you ask her yourself?" The girl scrunched her nose at him but didn't respond.
Instead, she turned to Dawn and smiled brightly. "Hi! My name's Iris. Nice to meet you! What's your name?" Dawn hesitated for a second, but then replied, "I'm Dawn. Nice to meet you too." Both siblings seemed to notice the sadness she carried, but they didn't push.
Igris sat on the edge of the bed. "So… how long will you be staying here?" "I really don't know," Dawn replied softly.
There was a brief silence, Igris whispered something into his sister ear. Iris suddenly hugged her tightly. "I'm so happy to have a sister! Welcome to the family." Dawn blinked, surprised, but then her lips curled into a small smile. Her first real smile since her mother passed. "Thank you."
Together, Igris and Iris helped her unpack what little she brought. The room was cozy, filled with sunlight, and full of warmth she didn't realize she'd needed.
"Come out and eat! Food's ready!" Martha's voice rang from the dining area.
Igris groaned, stretching his arms. "Just in time. I was about to die of hunger." They quickly finished tidying and rushed out. Dawn walked more slowly, trailing behind.
When she entered the dining room, she saw them—sitting together, laughing, bickering lightly, like a real family. Something tightened in her chest. The closest I ever had to this was when Mama and I ate together, she thought. And I never even had a dad to complete the table.
As she stepped forward, Iris looked back and called, "Hurry up! Before the food gets cold!" Dawn picked up her pace and sat down at the end of the table.
Across from her was a boy with dark brown hair and blue eyes who looked to be around her age. He waved enthusiastically, mouth full of food. "Nice to meet you! My name's Ares!" he said through a mouthful.
"Huh?" Dawn tilted her head. "I said..." He tried to repeat himself but was immediately cut off.
"Ares!" Martha scolded. "How many times have I told you to swallow before speaking?" He swallowed quickly, then turned to her. "Sorry, Mama."
He looked back at Dawn with a grin. "I'm Ares. How old are you?"
Igris rolled his eyes. "I think you're supposed to ask her, her name first, you know?"
"I know," Ares said, brushing it off. "But I'm more interested in her age." Igris sighed. "Why do I even try?" Dawn finally answered, "I'm ten."
Ares' face lit up. "I'm older than you! I'm eleven." Dawn gave him a deadpan look. "Mm. Good for you."
Ares beamed. "I think we're going to get along just fine!" Dawn looked at him, thoroughly confused.
Igris noticed and leaned toward her. "Don't worry about him. He's got lots of screws loose and no screwdriver." "Igris!" Martha snapped. "Don't talk about your brother like that."
Igris raised his hands innocently. "It's true! He even agrees with it."
"No, he doesn't," Martha said firmly. Ares, chewing again, nodded and mumbled, "Not to interrupt, but he isn't wrong."
Martha stared at him, baffled. "You see what you've done? You've poisoned your little brother's brain with nonsense logic."
"But Mama..."
"That's enough," she said with a sigh. "Eat your food." They all quieted down, though the father chuckled quietly at the chaos.
There was a strange comfort in the noise. The way they laughed and argued, how voices overlapped at the table, it wasn't perfect, but it was... warm.
'They're quite a lively family', Dawn thought to herself, picking at her food. She looked around the table once more. Then turned to Ares. "Hey," she said softly. "My name's Dawn."