Episode 7

Upon hearing her daughter’s message, relayed by Vitrain, Sione’s face briefly showed surprise before softening into a warm smile.

She hadn’t wanted to burden the emperor, already busy with the affairs of the empire, with concerns about the northern borders. Yet, she couldn’t help but feel grateful for her daughter’s thoughtfulness.

“As expected, family is the only thing you can truly rely on,” she murmured.

If the Belpator Imperial Army guarding the northern border were to intervene, this matter could be resolved quickly.

However, Sione’s smile grew slightly sharper as she shook her head.

“I can’t trouble Her Majesty with something like this. Please tell her not to worry about the north when you return.”

Vitrain chuckled deeply.

Before leaving Brincia, Rottania had said almost the exact same thing, even adding strict orders not to come back no matter what her mother said.

“Regrettably, I cannot obey that command, Your Grace. It is my duty to inspect the borders of all regions. This winter, my post happens to be the north,” Vitrain said, using his responsibilities as Supreme Commander as a convenient excuse.

Seeing no way to overrule his reasoning, Sione met his gaze with a knowing smile.

“Looks like we’ll be seeing a lot of each other this winter, then.”

“Indeed, and on that note, may I trouble you for lodging? The border forts are unbearably cold during winter,” Vitrain said, hunching his broad shoulders in an exaggerated show of discomfort.

His melodramatic plea made Sione chuckle.

Rottania had mentioned that Vitrain seemed like a completely different person since his marriage, and it appeared she wasn’t exaggerating.

The once stoic and impenetrable Vitrain now resorting to playful whining was a sight to behold.

As Sione took her time answering, Vitrain even pretended to sniffle, claiming he was especially sensitive to the cold.

Aiden, clearly unable to endure his antics any longer, interjected.

“Please grant him permission, my lady. I can’t bear to watch this any further.”

Sione nodded with a laugh, and Vitrain immediately straightened, all traces of his earlier theatrics gone.

“Thank you, Your Grace,” he said smoothly.

“I should be the one thanking you,” Sione replied. “You must hate being away from your family.”

At the mention of his family, Vitrain’s expression softened.

The once-cold blue eyes grew warm, and a gentle smile lifted his features.

Though he had lost the legendary vision of the eagle, his mind’s eye was ever filled with the image of his one-year-old daughter, her face as vivid as if she were standing before him.

The thought of his wife, Merlin, and his eldest daughter—his brother’s child whom he now raised as his own—brought an unshakable sense of peace.

Three lives that had completely transformed his world.

To Vitrain, every day was a miracle, and Sione thought the change in him wasn’t just due to his newfound sense of humor but the warmth in his gaze.

It was the look of a man who had finally found his place.

“You look happy, Vitrain,” Sione said warmly, her smile filled with genuine relief.

Vitrain dipped his head slightly, clearly moved, but a faint smile lingered on his lips.

Vitrain and Merlin’s story was a complicated one. Though they had been each other’s first loves, Merlin’s family had chosen his brother, the former “Eagle of Belpator,” over him.

After his brother’s untimely death, rumors had swirled maliciously about Vitrain and Merlin’s past.

While Vitrain managed to endure the gossip, Merlin had been devastated, blaming herself for the slander Vitrain faced.

To protect her, Vitrain had decided to play the role of a reckless man. He thought that if people saw him as unworthy, they would stop speaking ill of her.

He lived recklessly, consumed by the idea of how to die rather than how to live.

Then he met Sione.

Perhaps he had loved her—or at least believed he could have—because, like Merlin, Sione had seen him as a person, not just a beast.

After breaking free of the beast’s pact, thanks to Sione, Vitrain felt less liberated and more terrified.

Though he stood firmly on two legs, he still had no place to return to.

Watching the happiness Sione and Aiden shared, he resolved to protect his love this time, no matter what.

Eventually, Merlin took his hand, despite her fears. The cruel whispers behind their backs never stopped, but after deciding to face them head-on, they seemed insignificant.

What did it matter?

The person he loved was Merlin.

Having lived a life consumed by thoughts of death, Vitrain had found a reason to look forward to the days ahead.

And it was all thanks to Sione, who had pulled him—and his brother’s legacy—out of the eagle’s claws.

“Thank you, Your Grace,” he said again, his voice carrying a weight of gratitude.

Reading the heartfelt emotion in his words, Sione returned the sentiment.

“Thank you, Vitrain.”

Vitrain blinked, his left eye tightening slightly as if holding back tears.

Though he had let go of much, showing tears in front of Sione and Aiden still felt too embarrassing.

Clearing his throat, he raised his voice, changing the subject.

“Next year, I’ll bring my family. Your Grace hasn’t met my youngest yet, have you? She’s quite adorable, just like me.”

Though it was hard to imagine Vitrain being “adorable,” Sione nodded readily, her smile bright.

* * *

After an evening spent dining with a self-proclaimed daughter enthusiast, Vitrain, Aiden and I retreated to our chambers.

As always, Aiden gently brushed my hair after my bath. His focus on each strand was almost reverent when he suddenly asked, in an even tone:

“Wouldn’t it be better to settle this all at once?”

“Hm? Settle what?”

“The forest. If we propose a territorial battle, I believe Munsen would accept.”

“A territorial battle? With Munsen?”

“Yes.”

It wasn’t exactly a conversation suited for hair brushing, but I paused to consider it nonetheless.

If we were bound to clash eventually, perhaps it was better to resolve things swiftly.

There had never been a precedent for territories of different empires engaging in direct conflict, but this situation was essentially a proxy war between Belpator and Neudyk.

It wasn’t impossible.

The main concerns were the looming depths of winter and the stark difference in troop numbers between Count Munsen’s forces and ours.

While the Tilender people, with their resilience, scoffed at the cold—even wearing short sleeves in winter—Eric’s reports indicated that Munsen’s troops outnumbered ours by nearly two to one.

Surely, Aiden was aware of this disparity, yet he continued brushing my hair with the utmost care.

“You’re confident we’ll win?” I asked, more out of habit than doubt.

“There’s no possibility of defeat,” he replied without hesitation.

I glanced at the mirror and caught sight of my husband, grinning fiercely as he held the hairbrush.

It was a face I hadn’t seen in a while—my favorite expression of his.

Aiden never lied, and if he said we would win, then we would.

I let out a soft laugh and turned toward him.

“Why are you in such a hurry? Munsen hasn’t even made a move yet.”

“If they drag this out until spring, you’ll leave for Brincia,” he said, his voice tinged with uncharacteristic dejection.

The Imperial Dog of Belpator, now called the Northern Wolf, was sulking over the thought of being apart from me.

Gripping the hairbrush tightly, he wore the most pitiful expression, and I struggled to suppress my laughter.

If only the people of Tilender could see him like this, they’d think twice before giving him such a ferocious nickname.

Every spring, I made an unspoken promise to spend the season with Rottania in Brincia.

Gently cupping his cheek, I soothed him.

“You know I’d never leave you behind and go to Brincia alone.”

“I wouldn’t want to provoke Her Majesty’s wrath either,” he muttered.

Aiden couldn’t leave Tilender unattended with Munsen unresolved, and while he couldn’t prevent me from visiting our daughter, the thought of spending spring apart was intolerable to him.

In his mind, resolving the border issue quickly was the best way to ensure we could both travel to Brincia together.

It seemed the idea of facing an army twice the size of his own was easier for my husband than spending a season apart.

My dear husband only grew more endearing with time, even as a father.

Feigning deliberation, I teased, “You might be right. Keeping that doting father stuck in the north does seem a bit cruel.”

Aiden nodded so fervently that my hair fluttered.

His large hands still clutched the dainty hairbrush, and I couldn’t hold back my laughter any longer.

While it meant accelerating our plans, there was no need for hesitation with Vitrain here.

Removing my hand from his cheek, I nodded firmly.

“Tomorrow, I’ll hold a meeting with the retainers and draft a letter to send to Munsen. Eric should intensify surveillance on the Neudyk forces, and—ah, we should ask Vitrain to prepare the imperial troops, just in case.”

As I listed the tasks ahead, mentally preparing for the busy days to come, Aiden placed the brush on the vanity and moved closer.

The crimson of his gaze shimmered with a heat different from before.

“That’s a matter for tomorrow, my lady. For now, I’d like your attention.”

“You always have it,” I replied softly.

Aiden let out a low rumble, closing the remaining distance. His lips, as fiery as his gaze, met mine in a kiss that stole away all thoughts of strategy and battle.