Morning came, bringing an early spring along with it. In the Eldorian new empire, where winter had ruled for many months a frozen river crackled and a tiny robin perched on the frost-kissed windowsill of a bedroom chirped brightly.
Sigrid's eyes fluttered open to the sound and looked around. As the recollection of what had happened the day before came to her mind, her hand moved to her stomach. Had she failed to keep the pregnancy after all?
"System..." She called out. Before she could ask the question, another voice in the room cried out, 'she is awake,' and Sigrid turned her head to the the direction of the sound.
It was Mauve and she was not the only one in the room. Roland was sleeping in a chair by the head of the bed. John and Elowin were sharing a sofa that had been moved in in the night. Both men were sleeping on opposite ends and Kip Givenchy was laying between them, curled up like a baby in a womb.
