Under the gentle sound of running water, a soft, mature giggle echoed. It was a laugh as delicate as wind chimes swaying in harmony with nature.
"You're so silly. How do you know that's how they'll feel?" the voice teased.
"This wise one is smart enough to know that. I have as much experience as those old fogies," Kallen declared smugly.
"Cheeky brat," she giggled again.
Kallen sat topless, his head tilted back, while his mother stood behind him, her fingers weaving through his hair, slowly washing it under the warmth of the cascading water.
The wind was gentle and mild, rustling the cyan leaves, while the grasses of the grove swayed in unison. Birds chirped in an entrancing melody, their song painting an artistic masterpiece in sound.
The morning's blue sun cast a mesmerizing sapphire glow, tinting the world in deep blues, as if reality itself had become an ethereal dream.
"So, after terrifying your elders, did you make a full score?" Lyra asked teasingly.
"Naaah! Those grumpy bone sacks docked me a few points. I can understand, though, since I didn't kill the thing. I was too tired to do extra work," Kallen replied, yawning dramatically as if reliving his "ordeal."
"You're hopeless," she laughed.
"Ah! This prince must have his rest. Only I can overwork myself. They're still a hundred years too early to think they can overexert me."
"You sound just like your father in his younger days," she said, shaking her head.
"I don't sound like anybody. He sounded like me in his younger days," Kallen quipped back.
"What a brat you are," she chuckled. "So, you don't want to take any chances ruining whatever it is you're trying to do, huh?"
"Well, I'm still seeing progress in my stats, which means I must be doing something right," Kallen answered.
"Big gamble," she mused.
"I don't like calling it that, but that's what it is. If I can achieve it, it'll give me a head start to surpass every advantage they have over me... Not like there's any.
Right now, only Atticus and Williams can put a little pressure on me. But if I actually take them seriously... I might end up killing them by mistake."
Lyra paused for a moment, but Kallen continued.
"I like Atticus though, he's intelligent and devious. Williams, on the other hand, is more enigmatic, always focused on his forge.
"Even though his level is lower than Atticus despite being the elder brother, I feel like he'd still win in a fight... unless Atticus goes all out. If that happens, Atticus will definitely wipe the floor with him. I'm sure he knows that too."
"You sound like you know everything about them. But what about you? What do they know about you?" she asked.
"Only what I want them to know," he smirked.
"How cheeky. What about your twin cousins?"
"They're immature."
"And Alita?"
"I've heard of her, but I've never seen her. I heard she's his cousin."
Lyra frowned. "'HE'?! That's your father! Kal"
Then with a sigh, she continued, "Well... it's true. She is your father's cousin."
_'Hmmm… quite peculiar'_, Kallen thought.
A brief silence settled between them, allowing them to bask in the harmony and serenity of nature. The rhythmic sound of flowing water, the soft rustling of cyan leaves, and the gentle caress of the wind all blended into an unspoken lullaby.
"It's your birthday tomorrow, little Kal. You'll be celebrating your coming of age," Lyra finally broke the silence, her voice warm and brimming with happiness.
"Mmh." Kallen let out a soft hum in response.
"Your Bloodline Activation Ritual will also be tomorrow," she asked.
"I know," he replied, his tone distant, eyes flickering with unreadable thoughts.
Lyra hesitated for a few moments before speaking again, this time in a softer voice. "When was the last time you saw your father?"
Kallen didn't answer immediately. He let the question linger in the air before finally responding. "About a lot of months ago, I think."
"And when was the last time you had a talk with him?"
"I don't know... about two years ago, maybe."
"Don't you think it's time?" she asked gently. "After the ceremony tomorrow, the influence you'll command and the responsibilities you'll bear will increase massively. Your word, as the young Patriarch, will carry the weight of the entire Crimson family. Don't you think it's time to meet your father, the Patriarch?"
Silence stretched between them. Kallen exhaled softly before answering. "I guess you're right."
Lyra hummed in response, her smile small but her eyes filled with mirth.
Just then, a holographic screen materialized before them, flickering to life. The image of a man appeared; deep crimson hair, dual-colored eyes: one crimson, the other a piercing purple.
Lyra's smile widened, happiness radiating from her as she locked eyes with the man. Kallen, on the other hand, remained utterly undisturbed. He even closed his eyes, unbothered by the presence on the screen.
Luiz smiled when his gaze met his wife's, his eyes softening with a love so deep it was almost tangible. Their gazes seemed to speak volumes that was only broken when he managed to tear hi eyes away from her's, turning his attention to Kallen.
The moment his attention shifted to Kallen however, that warmth faded into an expression of pure indifference.
He stared at his form silently. He didn't seem to care about his disregard and just stared at him, imprinting this image of his son deep into his soul. There was no tension, just nonchalance.
Lyra, noticing Kallen's deliberate disregard, slowly pulled her hands from his hair. Begrudgingly, he opened his eyes and sat up, his expression mirroring Luiz's: calm, nonchalant, indifferent.
And they locked eyes.
For thirty long seconds, neither of them spoke.
The air between them was peaceful. There was a kind of resonance between them, something that did not need words to be understood.
Lyra watched from the side, feeling helpless and a little bitter.
"It has been a while," Luiz finally spoke. Though his words suggested pleasantries, his tone was completely flat, void of any real sentiment.
Kallen didn't reply him, simply staring.
"Meet me in my chambers by dusk," Luiz said, breaking eye contact first, and shifting his gaze to Lyra.
Again, Kallen gave no response. Instead, he leaned back, settling into his previous position. His crimson eyes, reflecting the deep blue sky, took on a violet hue, making him look more ethereal than human.
Lyra opened her mouth as if to say something but hesitated. She tried again, then stopped. In the end, she said nothing.
Luiz, however, noticed. Amusement flickered in his gaze.
Then, his eyes met her's again.
For over five minutes, they simply stared at each other, saying nothing—yet saying everything.
No words were needed. Every thought, every memory, every lingering emotion was exchanged in silence.
Kallen, though facing away, could still feel the weight of their unspoken conversation. He could sense the subtle shifts in the atmosphere, the ebb and flow of emotions that neither of them could to verbalize.
He closed his eyes slowly.
_'Love made you weak... as much as it did me.'_
The thought came unbidden, irrelevant to the moment yet deeply tied to everything.
Only he knew what it meant.