The Echo Gardens buzzed with an ethereal hum as the group lingered beneath the crystalline tree, its golden leaves casting a soft, otherworldly glow over them. Delphina sat cross-legged on the grass, her small hands tracing the glowing runes on a nearby stone, while Regnare leaned against a pillar, his sharp blue eyes scanning the horizon. Lamair and Trevor lounged nearby, the latter still nursing his shaken pride with a faint smirk, though his crimson cloak now shimred faintly in the garden's mystic light.
The air suddenly shifted—a ripple of power, subtle but undeniable, coursed through the garden. The whispering stones pulsed brighter, their voices rising into a harmonious crescendo as if greeting an old friend. Delphina's golden eyes widened, and she shot to her feet, her braided tails bouncing with her movent.
"He's here," she whispered, her voice trembling with excitent. "I can feel him!"
Regnare straightened, his draconic-wolf tails stilling as he turned toward the garden's entrance. Lamair's violet eyes glead with anticipation, and even Trevor sat up, his haunted expression replaced with curiosity.
Footsteps approached—steady, deliberate, and carrying a weight that seed to bend the very air around them. A tall figure erged from the shadowed archway of the garden, his silhouette frad by the fiery hues of the athyst sky. Ethan.
He was broader than Regnare had expected, his presence commanding yet gentle, like a storm held in check. His hair, a deep red streaked with strands of silver, fell just past his shoulders, and his golden eyes held a depth that spoke of battles fought, losses endured, and a quiet, unshakable resolve. He wore a simple tunic of dark blue, edged with golden embroidery, but the way he carried himself spoke of a warrior—a king—who had walked through the fires of destiny and erged whole.
Behind him trailed three won—Lisa, Elaine, and Kira—their faces alight with a mixture of joy and relief. Lisa's deep brown eyes locked onto Delphina imdiately, and a tender smile curved her lips as she gave a small nod of encouragent.
Ethan stopped a few paces away, his gaze sweeping over the group. For a mont, silence reigned, the only sound the faint hum of the garden's ancient magic. Then his eyes landed on Regnare and Delphina, and sothing in his expression softened—a flicker of recognition, of longing, of guilt.
"Regnare," Ethan said, his voice deep and steady, but laced with emotion. "Delphina."
Delphina's breath hitched, her small hands clenching into fists at her sides. She took a tentative step forward, her golden eyes searching his face as if trying to confirm that this was real—that the father she'd only known through stories was truly standing before her.
"Father?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Ethan's gaze softened further, and he knelt to her level, his movents slow and deliberate. "Yes, little one," he said, his voice breaking slightly. "I'm here."
Delphina hesitated for only a mont before she launched herself into his arms, her small fra trembling as she buried her face in his chest. Ethan wrapped his arms around her tightly, his eyes closing as he held her close, one hand gently cradling the back of her head. A single tear slipped down his cheek, catching the light of the glowing stones.
"I'm sorry," he murmured into her hair, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there."
Delphina shook her head against him, her voice muffled. "You're here now. That's what matters."
Ethan pulled back slightly, his hands resting on her shoulders as he looked into her eyes. "Your mother was right," he said with a faint smile, brushing a stray braid from her face. "You are a carbon copy of . But… you've got her fire, too."
Delphina bead, her golden eyes sparkling with joy. "She said I'd make you proud!"
"You already have," Ethan replied, his voice steady but warm. He stood, lifting her effortlessly into his arms as he turned his attention to Regnare.
Regnare had been watching the exchange in silence, his sharp blue eyes unreadable. But there was a tension in his stance, a quiet uncertainty that belied his calm exterior. Ethan set Delphina down gently and took a step toward him, his gaze steady but searching.
"Regnare," Ethan said again, his tone softer this ti. "I've heard so much about you. Barki… she told you've carried a lot in my absence."
Regnare's jaw tightened slightly, and he inclined his head. "I did what I had to," he said evenly, his voice betraying none of the storm of emotions beneath the surface. "You were gone. Soone had to step up."
Ethan nodded, his expression heavy with understanding. "I know. And I'm grateful. More than I can say." He paused, then added, "I wish I could have been there. For you. For all of you."
Regnare's gaze flickered, and for a mont, the mask of stoicism slipped, revealing a flicker of vulnerability. "You're here now," he echoed Delphina's words, though his tone was more guarded. "That's what matters."
Ethan stepped closer, his hand reaching out to rest on Regnare's shoulder. "You're my son," he said firmly, his voice carrying the weight of a vow. "And I'll spend the rest of my days making up for the ti I missed. I promise you that."
Regnare's sharp blue eyes t Ethan's golds, and for a mont, the two stood in silence, an unspoken understanding passing between them. Then, slowly, Regnare nodded, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.
"Good," he said quietly. "Because I've been waiting to see if the stories were true."
Ethan chuckled, a deep, warm sound that seed to lighten the air around them. "Oh, I'll do my best to live up to them."
Lamair, who had been watching the reunion with a rare, genuine smile, stepped forward, clapping Ethan on the back. "Took you long enough, old man," he teased, his violet eyes glinting with mischief. "These kids were about to start a rebellion in your na."
Ethan raised a brow, his lips twitching into a smirk. "A rebellion, huh? Sounds like they take after their uncle."
"Don't pin this on !" Lamair laughed, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I'm just the fun uncle!"
Trevor, who had been hanging back, finally stepped forward, his crimson cloak trailing behind him. "Ethan," he said, his voice still carrying a trace of his earlier ordeal. "It's… good to see you."
Ethan turned to him, his expression shifting to one of concern. "Trevor. You look like you've been through hell."
Trevor gave a dry laugh, running a hand through his dark hair. "Your won are a force of nature. I made the mistake of interrupting their reunion with you. Never again."
Ethan's eyes widened slightly, and then he burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the garden. "I'll take that as a complint," he said, clapping Trevor on the shoulder. "But I'm glad you're still in one piece."
"Barely," Trevor muttered, though a small smile tugged at his lips.
Lisa, Elaine, and Kira approached, their expressions a mix of joy and pride as they watched Ethan with his children. Lisa stepped forward, her deep gold eyes shimring with emotion as she placed a hand on Delphina's shoulder.
"You've got a lot to catch up on," she said softly to Ethan, her voice warm but firm. "But these two… they've been waiting for you their whole lives."
Ethan nodded, his gaze sweeping over his family—his children, his partners, his friends. "I know," he said, his voice steady but filled with determination. "And I'm not going anywhere this ti."
The whispering stones pulsed brighter, their voices weaving a song of reunion and hope, as the family stood together in the sacred glow of the Echo Gardens. For the first ti in years, they were whole—bound by love, by legacy, and by the promise of a future they would face as one.
...
"So, how's it been?" Ethan asked, his voice warm as he sat beside Regnare on the roof of their secluded mansion. The distant lights of the kingdom and palace twinkled far below, but up here, it was just the two of them under a star-strewn sky.
Regnare let out a small sigh, his usual icy deanor lting away in this rare mont of vulnerability. This wasn't a subject addressing his king—it was a son speaking to his father. "Tiring, I guess. Mom's always pushing to my limits, talking about living up to your na, making you proud as your first son."
Ethan chuckled, a deep, hearty sound that carried a hint of nostalgia. "Ha! I can just imagine her. She's adorable like that, isn't she?"
Regnare scrunched his face in mock disgust. "Ugh, co on, Dad."
"You'll understand one day," Ethan teased, his golden eyes glinting with mischief. "You'll get there soon enough. Haha!"
Regnare hesitated, his gaze dropping to the tiles beneath them. His voice grew quieter, tinged with uncertainty. "So… you really accept as your son? Even knowing what I am…?"
Ethan's expression softened, and he turned to face Regnare fully, his tone firm but gentle. "You are my son. You carry my essence—my blood runs through you. I'll admit, I'm curious how Barki managed it, but that doesn't change the fact that you're mine."
Regnare opened his mouth, then closed it, his sharp blue eyes flickering with emotion. "I…"
"People question you, don't they?" Ethan asked, his voice low and understanding.
"Mm," Regnare nodded, his jaw tightening slightly.
Ethan placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, his grip steady and warm. "I know. But that's going to change from now on. Guess what?"
Regnare looked up, curiosity breaking through his uncertainty. "What?"
"There's still one more piece you need before you can beco whole—before you can fully evolve as the Draconic Wolf Spirit you were born to be."
Regnare's brows furrowed. "But I thought… didn't Mother say I'd already reached that point? That's why she kept pushing so hard, to break through my limits."
Ethan nodded, a knowing smile tugging at his lips. "She did, and her thod would've worked eventually—it was forcing you to grow through sheer grit. But I'm here now, and I can help you take that final step."
Regnare's eyes widened slightly, a mix of hope and disbelief in his gaze. "You can do that?"
Ethan leaned back, a playful glint in his eyes as he shrugged. "Not to brag, but I'm practically a divine being at this point. Plus, I'm a Grimlok—a hybrid of a vampire and a dwarf, and of the highest order. I'm a Creator, like your great-grandmother, and a Blood Primogenitor, like your uncle Trevor. So, yes, I'm more than capable."
Regnare blinked, clearly taken aback. "I… I didn't know that."
Ethan's smile turned softer, almost secretive, as he leaned in closer. "Not many do. The full extent of your power—and mine—is still a mystery to most. Let's keep it that way for now, alright?"
Regnare nodded slowly, a spark of pride flickering in his chest as he looked at his father. For the first ti, he felt truly seen—not as a prince or a hybrid with a legacy to uphold, but as a son. The weight of expectations seed lighter under the stars, shared between them.
Ethan ruffled Regnare's long, grey hair, the silver flecks catching the moonlight. "We've got plenty of ti to figure this out together," he said, his voice steady with promise. "For now, let's just enjoy the quiet. It's been too long since I've had a mont like this and now with my son."
Regnare allowed a small, genuine smile to break through, his draconic-wolf tails swaying gently behind him. "Yeah… I'd like that."
The two sat in comfortable silence, the cool night air wrapping around them as they gazed out at the horizon, a father and son finally united, ready to face whatever destiny awaited them—together.
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