In the rowdy trade town of Erui, situated at the base of Mount Serto, the velvet hour settled like a gentle veil over its clamor. Merchants drew their stalls closed with the clatter of wood and iron, while the smell of spiced wine and roasted meat lingered in the air. The mountain's shadow stretched long across the cobbled streets, and the cries of bargaining voices gave way to the softer murmur of taverns filled with laughter and song. Lanterns flickered to life one by one, chasing away the dimming light, as though the town itself refused to surrender entirely to the night.
During all this hustling and bustling, a figure emerged from one of the shops closing down. She wore a simple gown that covered her ankles, and walked with a measured stride—almost gracefully, but not quite the same. Her onyx-colored hair fell neatly to her shoulders, and her eyes, a deep shade of purple, held a cool businesslike sharpness. A plastered smile rested on her lips, giving her the air of someone accustomed to business. She cut across the streets, passing the town hall and the mayor's home, before heading down the slabbed street toward a crossroad.
She stood at the road patiently, waiting for a wagon to pass by. It was quite late, and it was rare to see any signs of life around here at this hour, but she needed to get home to see her children, so she carefully waited.
Ten minutes, then thirty, then an hour—yet there was still no sign of a cart or wagon in sight.
The woman sighed deeply and decided to walk farther down the road until she found herself at another intersection. At that moment, a cart pulled by a lanky horse stopped beside her. The cart itself was looking rather worse for wear, and its driver closely resembled his vehicle and horse—it seemed like one well put together family—but it would do. She couldn't waste any more time, or she'd risk worrying her little ones. She quickly entered the cart and handed the driver two silver soul stones.
"Where to, woman?" the driver said boorishly.
The woman, unfazed by his attitude, simply replied,
"At the rear side of Mount Serto. When you get to the mayor's home, turn right and head towards Éclair Street. Drop me off there."
The driver nodded quietly, snapping his whip against the horses' heads to get them moving.
The journey was quiet and uneventful, except for the fact that the driver kept taking shortcuts the woman didn't know about. Occasionally, he would pick up other passengers, all of whom had to cram themselves into the tight and uncomfortable cart.
Eventually, the cart reached its destination after an hour. The woman leapt off the cart without looking back and headed toward a narrow path.
She took quick turns down the path and arrived at a shabby hut, dim lanterns flickering on its outer walls. The roof looked like better days might once have seen it—though one couldn't be sure if even days cared much for it. The ground was muddy from the terrible weather, and the air hung heavy with dampness. The woman went straight to extinguishing the lanterns, gathering them carefully in her hands.
At the porch, she nudged the door open with her foot and slipped inside. She dropped the lanterns by the door, then smacked her forehead with her palm. The house was dark, and she needed to see—she wasn't a bat, for soul's sake. Holding up her hand, she manipulated a small portion of her soul and turned it into a wisp of red flame at her fingertips. Opening the latch of one lantern, she dipped her hand into the oil reservoir and lit the wick. Closing the latch carefully, she hung the lantern on the wall.
As the darkness fled the room, she finally saw two small figures curled up on the floor, their faces serene with contentment. Here she was, thinking her children would be worried—yet it seemed they hadn't missed her at all. Smiling softly, she strode to them and lifted them onto her shoulders, carrying them to their shared room and laying them gently on the hay mat.
She undressed, slipped into her chemise, and nestled down between them, pulling them close.
Oh, how she loved them.
She fell into a deep slumber, making sure her children were safely within cuddling reach.
—-----
"Mother, wake up—the sun is already shining brightly!" Anna said, rocking her mother's body gently.
"Isn't it best to leave her alone, Anna? She probably came in late last night," came Roy's voice from the living room. "Go sweep the front yard first before you try waking her."
Anna left the room with a pout and glared at her brother.
"Gimme your broom. Mine's useless—it hardly sweeps the dirt, and it'll be worse today because of that Deron-forsaken rain."
"You moron, it's always useless because you refuse to put any effort into sweeping, plus it's not like u can manipulate it's form due to your low soul affinity", Roy shot back "Sometimes I wonder if you're secretly a Demon"
Anna, not ready for morning banter, snatched up her broom and went outside, rigorously sweeping at the muddy ground.
'Unlike Roy and Mother, I can't even channel my soul into anything to make things easier to do my bidding. Life is so unfair', she thought bitterly.
'I should probably leave this until it dries up a little'.
She trudged back to where her brother was setting up the firewood for breakfast.
"Life's hard!!" Anna complained.
Roy chuckled. "An eight-year-old isn't supposed to say such things."
"Ooooh, before I forget, Mother asked me to tell you—take ten copper declans from her bag and head to Éclair Street, to the seamstress's house. Pick up the dresses you'll both wear to the festival tonight."
Anna sighed and leaned her head against Roy's shoulder.
"Get the firewood going and boil water for me. It's freezing this morning."
Ruffling Anna's onyx hair, Roy broke kindling into a pile, encircled it with logs, then set two sturdy wooden poles on either side. Balancing a crossbeam, he hung a pot of water over the setup.
"It'll be ready soon. Go greet momma—She's awake.
Heading off to the room, Anna jumped ontop their mother in a tight breathless hug.
"Morning momma" she said cheerfully not giving her mother any time reply to her greeting, she continued "Roy said u needed me to go get the clothes from the seamstress's house, I'll do that after Roy's done preparing my bathe"
The poor breathless woman smiled at Anna ruffling her hair
"Thank you my baby, my purse is in the kitchen counter so take 12 copper Declans from my bag, use the rest and buy something for yourself during the festivital of Aaro Eeu"
"Alright momma, thank youuu" Anna replied all too cheerfully especially because she'd have 2 cooper Declans to spend at the festival of Aaro Eeu.
"Anna go take your bathe, I've mixed the water for you!" Roy said shouting from outside
Carrying the pail of hot water her brother had prepared, Anna hurried into the wooden bathe house at the edge of their compound. The structure was closed off, though its timbers had begun to rot with age. Inside, she stripped and took a calming bath, washing with the lye soap she had proudly made herself some days ago. The rough suds worked the dirt from her hair and skin, leaving her refreshed.
Once finished, Anna dressed in a neat, plain purple gown. She tied her onyx hair into a ponytail and went to her mother's purse to get the copper Declans.
Anna left through the front yard and started down the desolate path toward Eclair Street. When she reached the street, she turned right and headed for the seamstress's shop. The place was no different from her house—worn and weather-beaten, its boards soft with rot.
The seamstress walked in with measured strides as she approached Anna. Something in her gait reminded the girl of her mother, and the thought brought a small smile to her face.
"My mother asked me to fetch the gowns she ordered for the both of us in preparation for the festival tonight,"
Anna began softly. "She gave me eight Copper Declans to pay for them."
The old woman straightened her back and fixed Anna with a sharp look.
"Eight Copper Declans? That sly woman. We agreed on ten after half an hour of haggling, and now you come here with only eight?" She let out a weary sigh. "Forget it. It's not the first time your mother has shorted me in such a manner, wait for me here I'm coming."
With that, the seamstress turned away and disappeared deeper into the shop to fetch the garments.
Anna smiled to herself as the seamstress disappeared into the back of the shop. She was now two copper Declans richer — at last, she had saved enough to buy her brother a gift for the coming festival. Her mother had given her extra money just recently but it was still little for what she wanted to buy, and so Anna had resorted to underhanded means to gather the coins. Still, the thought of surprising him with something of his own filled her with quiet pride.
Ten minutes later, the seamstress returned with the garments neatly folded in her arms. She handed them to Anna, who bowed curtly before hurrying out. Excitement quickened her steps; she could hardly wait to see how the gown would look on her.
Anna ran down Eclair Street, clutching the bundle tightly. She did not notice the odd figure lingering beneath the shade of a withered tree. Its gaze drifted aimlessly, neither fixed on her nor on anything in particular — and yet its presence hung over the street like a shadow that did not belong.
-----------------
When Anna arrived home, she rushed straight to the backyard, where her mother sat with Roy over a simple breakfast. Her breath still quick from running, she held up the folded garments with both hands, eyes shining.
"Mother, look!" she said, excitement spilling into her voice as she presented the clothes like a precious treasure.
Her mother's lips curved in amusement.
"Go into the house and try them on, then come show us," she said.
A few minutes later, Anna stepped out of the house wearing the new gown. The fabric, a plain but rich purple, fell smoothly to her ankles, its fresh folds still stiff from the seamstress's hand. The bodice hugged her frame neatly, while the sleeves tapered to her wrists with a touch of simple embroidery. She shifted slightly, testing how the cloth moved, and the hem whispered across the floor with each step.
Her mother's eyes swept over her carefully, measuring the fit as though weighing the seamstress's skill. Roy grinned at the sight of his sister dressed so fine. Anna tugged lightly at the waist and brushed her hands over the fabric, trying to grow used to how the gown rested on her.
"My beautiful girl," her mother said, smiling brightly, "you resemble a little flower."
She rose, lifting Anna into her arms before kissing her on the forehead.
Roy remained quiet, then stepped closer, ruffling Anna's hair with an affectionate smile.