The castle of the Everaine clan was a sprawling fortress of silver and blue, its towering spires piercing the sky.
Yet, within its grand halls, a somber atmosphere lingered. In one of the quieter chambers, a man with black hair knelt before a young girl, his expression a mix of sorrow and resolve.
"Silvana, I cannot keep you with me right now," he said softly, his voice trembling slightly.
"It's far too dangerous in the clan. I don't want you to get hurt or get caught up in the…..the problem that's coming. I've spoken to my friend, Cassius, the head of the Lunastre clan. His family has agreed to take you in until I resolve the problems here. They'll keep you safe."
The girl, no more than twelve years old, clutched a stuffed toy tightly to her chest.
Her wide, tear-filled eyes stared up at her father, her voice quivering as she spoke. "P-papa, are you leaving me too? Just like Mama did? Can't I stay with you? Please…"
The man froze, his hands trembling as he reached out to embrace her. "No, Silvana," he whispered, pulling her into a tight hug.
"I'm not leaving you. Mama didn't leave you either. She… she just has some important work to do. She'll come back to us one day. That's a promise."
Silvana buried her face in his chest, her small frame shaking with sobs. "Why does everyone look at me like I don't belong here? Only you and Mama ever looked at me kindly, it was all fine till then. But when Mama disappeared, everyone started watching me like I'm some kind of threat, they treat me like I am the reason why she left. Why, Papa? Is it because of my hair? Why do I have a different hair color than you and mama?, I didn't want this….. everyone looks at me weirdly. Is that why you're sending me away too?"
Her words struck him like a dagger to the heart. He held her tighter, his voice firm yet gentle. "Silvana, listen to me. You are not weird. You are my sweet, brave little princess. The people here don't understand you, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you. I'm sending you away to protect you, not because I don't want you."
He pulled back slightly, cupping her face in his hands. "The Lunastre clan is a safe place. Cassius and his wife, Elisa, both of them are kind people."
"They have a daughter almost your age or maybe a year older, Valeria, and a son, Lucian. You'll can make friends there. And I'll visit you as often as I can. Once I've dealt with the problems here, we'll be together again. Mama will come back, and we'll be a family once more."
Silvana's tears slowed as she looked into his eyes, searching for reassurance. "You promise you'll come back for me?"
"I promise," he said, his voice steady. "I'll take care of everything here, and then we'll be together again. You'll see."
She nodded hesitantly, her grip on her stuffed toy tightening. "Okay, Papa. I'll be good. I won't cause any trouble."
He smiled, brushing a strand of her hair from her face.
"That's my girl. Now, let's get you ready. I'll take you to the Lunastre clan myself."
---
– Lunastre Clan, A Few Days Later
The Lunastre clan's estate was a stark contrast to the cold, imposing fortress of the Everaine clan.
Nestled in a lush valley, it was surrounded by colourful and lively gardens and flowing streams. Yet, even here an air of melancholy could be felt.
Knock knock.
"Lucian, can you come out for a moment? Mama wants to talk to you." Elisa's voice was soft but insistent as she stood outside Lucian's room.
After a brief pause, the door creaked open and Lucian stepped out. For a kid of eleven year old, he was tall with sharp features and piercing purple eyes.
His expression was of confusion but there was a flicker of curiosity in his gaze. "Mom? What is it? You could've just come in, you know."
Elisa smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I know, but this is important. You remember Silvana don't you? Your uncle's daughter? She's been staying with us for a few days now."
Lucian's expression relaxed at the mention of his uncle. He nodded slowly. "Yeah, I heard of that. What about her?"
Elisa sighed, her hands clasped in front of her. "She's… lonely, Lucian. Valeria hasn't left her room in months, and I've been busy managing the household. I was hoping you could spend some time with her. She's around your age and I think she could use a friend."
Lucian frowned, crossing his arms. "Mom, I have training to do. I can't just drop everything to babysit her."
Elisa's expression softened, her eyes pleading. "I'm not asking you to babysit her, Lucian. Just… keep her company. You can take her to the training grounds if you want. She's strong for her age, maybe you could even spar with her. She just needs someone to talk to or keep her some company."
Lucian hesitated, his resolve faltering under his mother's pleeding gaze. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Fine. I'll keep her company. But if she gets in the way of my training…"
"She won't," Elisa said quickly as she clasped her hands, her smile returning.
"Thank you, Lucian. You're a good boy."
As she walked away, Lucian leaned against the doorframe, his thoughts swirling. '
Sigh. I hope this doesn't mess up my routine. I need to get stronger… for him.'
---
– Later That Day
Silvana sat alone in the garden, her stuffed toy resting beside her. She stared at the flowers, her mind wandering.
The Lunastre clan's estate was beautiful, but it felt foreign to her. She missed her father, her home, and the familiarity of her old life.
"Hey."
She looked up to see Lucian standing a few feet away, his hands in his pockets.
He looked awkward, as if he wasn't sure what to say.
"Uh… my mom said I should keep you company. So, do you want to come to the training ground? I'm heading there to train with my instructor. You can join me if you're bored, I guess."
Silvana blinked, surprised by his offer.
"Training grounds? Me?"
"Yeah," Lucian said, shrugging. "I train there every day. You can watch if you want. Or… you can spar with me after the instructor's done if you're up for it."
"Ah, no… aren't you disgusted out by me? I mean, my hair is not the same color as my parents.…everyone wants to maintain a distance from me."
"You must have seen my father and mother, their hair color doesn't match mine..." she said cautiously, her voice tinged with sadness.
"Huh? Why would I care about your hair? I think it looks cool. The silver color suits you," Lucian said, scratching his cheek as he glanced at her hair.
"Yeah I can see that your hair color doesn't match with uncle Sergei's. I don't have an idea about your mom, but why would that even matter? It's not like it is your fault that your hair are different, it may be cause someone from your bloodline previously had silver hairs. I don't think it's that big of a matter. You look pretty with those hairs, they suit you well." he continued.
A slight blush crept onto Silvana's face as she looked down. "Y-you think so? I… I look pretty?"
"Umm… yeah? You've got your own charm, I guess," Lucian said, scratching the back of his neck.
"So, do you want to come to the training ground with me?"
A small smile tugged at the corners of Silvana's lips. "I'd like that."
Lucian nodded, turning to lead the way. As they walked, Silvana glanced at him curiously. "You're… Lucian, right? Aunt Elisa's son?"
"Yeah," he replied, his tone neutral. "And you're Silvana. Uncle Sergei once told me about you. If it ain't much trouble, can I ask why Uncle sent you here? Ah I don't mean it like you can't be here, but I am just curious about the reason."
Silvana's smile faded slightly. "Ah no, its your right to ask me about that. Actually my dad sent me here to keep me safe from something. He didn't explain from what he wanted to keep me safe from, even when I asked he ignored it. So I didn't pry any further."
Lucian glanced at her, his expression softening. "Well, you're safe here. Security's been tightened these days, so nothing can harm you."
Keep her safe, huh? Lucian thought.
What's going on in the Everaine clan that Uncle Sergei had to send his daughter here? Especially when almost no one outside of Everaine clan knows nothing about her except her name.
Silvana nodded, though her thoughts were still heavy. As they reached the training grounds, she sat on a bench in the corner of the room while Lucian approached his instructor.