Riven sat quietly on the large stone that had beco his usual place to vent his frustrations ever since he began living in the Rathsture estate. The midday sun bathed the quiet backyard in a warm glow, but that warmth did little to chase away the loneliness settling deep in his chest.
lly had been shutting herself away lately, buried in training with a determination that almost seed to burn. Riven understood what was driving her, but he didn't want to interrupt. He chose to wait. To give her space. Ashtoria, too, had left the estate.
Now, all that remained was silence.
He lowered his gaze and looked at the sword resting on his lap—Riftmaker. The silver blade shimred in the sunlight, delicate engravings catching the light along its edges. At the center, a small blue core pulsed softly with energy, like a quiet breath in a peaceful sleep.
Riven gently ran his fingers along the blade, brushing the cool tal as if hoping for answers. Then he took a deep breath, straightened his back, and stepped down from the stone, ready to resu his training.
But just as his feet touched the ground, the sound of light footsteps approached from behind.
He turned at once and his eyes widened.
.
.
.
lly had just heard the news that Riven was awake and didn't waste a second. She ran as fast as she could, her feet pounding through the long corridor, her light skirt fluttering in the wind as she passed through the courtyard. Her breathing was ragged, but she didn't care. Only one thing mattered—she had to see her brother.
The mont her eyes found him standing under the midday sun, she ca to a sudden stop. Her breath caught. Their eyes t.
For a mont, neither of them moved.
Then, without saying a word, lly ran again. She threw herself forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Riven's body.
"Brother…" she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. "Thank goodness you're awake. I was so scared you'd never wake up…"
Her arms trembled as she clung to him, her head resting against his chest, as if trying to convince herself this wasn't just a dream.
Riven stood still, silent at first. Then a warm smile crept across his face. He gently returned the hug, one hand rising to softly stroke her hair.
In that quiet embrace, sothing in his heart finally eased—a small but genuine sense of relief.
That night, when lly had chosen to hold him even when he was drenched in blood and surrounded by a terrifying aura, Riven had wondered if she was just pretending to be brave. A part of him had been afraid. Afraid that she was traumatized. Afraid that today, he would see fear in her eyes.
But he didn't.
lly was still lly. There wasn't even a trace of fear in her embrace. Only warmth. Only love.
All his doubts dissolved completely.
Still brushing her hair, he raised an eyebrow and gave her a mock-disappointed look. "But… I heard you didn't co to visit even once."
He glanced down at her, pretending to sulk. "I even started thinking maybe lly doesn't love her brother anymore. I thought, well, maybe it's ti to find a new little sister."
lly looked up at him, her lips pouting in playful protest. "Go ahead and try! I'll dunk both you and your new sister in the koi pond while you're sleeping!"
Riven burst out laughing, nearly choking.
"So cruel! And I just recovered too!"
lly crossed her arms and struck a pose, her tone full of mock pride and sweetness. "Well, don't be so dramatic. Nobody's replacing you… but if you get annoying, you better watch out."
Riven chuckled and pinched her soft cheek.
"Alright, alright, I swear I won't ever replace you. I'm too scared of waking up underwater."
lly giggled, the sound light and carefree. The warmth between them returned, and for a while, it felt like all the fear and pain from that horrible night was slowly starting to fade away.
.
.
.
That night, in the soft glow of a quiet bedroom, lly decided to sleep next to Riven. Ever since Ashtoria had started sharing his bed, lly had moved to another room—she simply couldn't stand watching it.
Riven still rembered that day vividly. Ashtoria had hugged him in bed, and just as she kissed him, lly, who had been pretending to sleep on the sofa, suddenly sat up and shouted, "I can't keep pretending to sleep! I want my own room!"
Then she stord out and slamd the door shut behind her.
Recalling that now, Riven could only shake his head with a smile.
Now, lly lay beside him, both of them on their backs, staring silently at the ceiling. The room was calm, bathed in warm shadows.
lly broke the silence first. "This bed is so comfy. I don't think I can even imagine sleeping in a park or forest again."
Riven nodded, his gaze still fixed on the ceiling. "Yeah. Who would've thought we'd get to enjoy sothing like this. Sotis I wonder… what if it's all just a dream? What if I've gone mad and I'm actually sleeping under so bridge?"
They both chuckled quietly, then fell silent again. The quiet wasn't uncomfortable—it was peaceful.
After a while, lly spoke again, her voice softer and more uncertain. "Riven… when we were kidnapped, those n asked about where we ca from."
Riven listened in silence, his eyes still unfocused as he stared at the ceiling.
lly continued, her tone growing more serious. "You told that our parents were killed by wild beasts when they went into the forest. You were twelve at the ti. Is that really true?"
Riven answered calmly, his voice firm. "Yes."
lly fell quiet, then started doing the math. "You're twenty now. So that happened eight years ago. That ans I was only four."
Riven turned slightly to look at her. "What is it you want to ask, lly?"
lly hesitated, then finally spoke. "Why don't I rember anything about our parents?"
Riven let out a slow breath before replying. "Kids who are four usually don't rember much. We moved around a lot back then, hopping from one place to another, and they were hardly ever ho."
His voice changed slightly. There was bitterness there, and a cold edge. "Father was a bastard. And Mother was a fool for marrying one. I've told you that before, haven't I?"
lly only nodded, not saying another word. Her eyes returned to the ceiling, but her mind was clearly elsewhere.
And as silence once again filled the room, a mory slowly rose in Riven's mind.
Not a gentle mory—but sothing buried deep for years, now resurfacing without rcy.
Rain, pouring down in sheets.
A dark sky rumbling with thunder.
Wind howling through the trees like a beast in pain.
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