Chapter 6: Reborn?!

Back at the manor, Lucina sat in the lounge room, her hair lying loosely around her shoulders, a book open in her lap. The hearth faintly lit up the room. Beside her, Linae knelt on the rug, her hands moving small carved figures across the floor. She had tiny wooden soldiers, knights, and horses, their edges looking worn from play.

The twins lay in their cushioned cradles, angled slightly upward, wrapped in soft blankets. The flickering light painted their faces in shifting shades of orange and gold.

Is this… my house? The boy pondered, his tiny fingers balling into a fist. And that woman—she keeps breastfeeding me, and somehow it seems I’ve become a baby… so would that be my mother? She feels like it, but how did this happen? What happened to Japan? This place doesn't look like it from what I remember, and I can't understand what anyone says. I feel so… helpless.

Leo’s eyes wandered around the room. Through the window, he could see tall green trees in the distance. His older sister sat on the rug, still playing with the wooden toys. How old is she? Cause I'm-… wait, how old was I… why can't I remember?! I still don't know how I got here, or— he contemplated for a moment. Wait, I-I have a brother, don't I? H-har Haru?… Haruki! How could I forget about him? Leo turned to his side, eyeing the other baby sitting in an identical cradle to his. Could that be Haruki… or are they just a regular baby?

His sister blinked slowly, staring at the wall, her tiny chest rising and falling. I really hate this. Panic pressed at her thoughts, but only a soft whine escaped her lips.

This doesn’t feel like home… Did I die? Wait, no, that doesn't make sense. Her stare drifted toward Lucina, who sat at her left side, towering over her tiny presence.

No… this isn't heaven. Maybe I was Reborn? The boy’s thoughts whispered back, faint but clear. Yes! At least I think so. My memory is so foggy, I can barely remember a thing from home. Lea relaxed her body and stared up at the towering ceiling above. A large golden chandelier with unlit candles and a gold beaded chain at its side was dangling above her head.

She pondered for a few minutes, trying her best to recall any information locked away in her mind. H-haruka And Yuzuki! Yes, I was with them on that school bus then… she paused, finally realizing that he, Haruki Asahina, had died and somehow reincarnated as a baby. Lea raised her hands to her face and wriggled her fingers, then made a fist, proving to herself she wasn't dead. I-I so I was reborn?! How though? And what happened to the others?

She turned her head slightly to the right, struggling to use the small amount of strength she had. Haruka…?

The realization echoed silently between the twins. They didn’t yet know the why or the how, but the truth was undeniable.

They had been reborn.

Soon their weary young bodies gave in to the warmth of the hearth. Their questions faded into haze, and once more, sleep claimed them.

After many hours, and it was deep in the night, Solan returned. Dirt clung to his cloak and lined his boots, his face warm, but a look of exhaustion still came through. The grand doors of the manor closed behind him with a muted thud, the sound echoing faintly in the silent halls.

Lucina still sat by the hearth, the twins bundled close against her chest, both asleep. She turned to him as he stepped in, her expression softening at the sight of him.

Solan lowered to one knee beside her, brushing his calloused hand over the children’s soft blond hair before resting it gently on her shoulder. His voice came low and serious.

“The body was gone. Only dried blood remained. The hut was empty. Alten swears she was dead, but…” His words faltered.

Lucina’s lips pressed thin, but her eyes remained calm, steady. “And the stones?”

“Yes, they've been replenished,” he said, though his brow furrowed. “The forest’s edge is safe for now. But if any magic lingers upon them,” he grasped the baby girl’s hand in his. Perhaps we should summon a priest. Have them examine the children. Make certain they—”

“No.” Lucina’s voice cut gently but firmly across his. She looked down at the babes, their small forms rising and falling in peaceful sleep. “They are breathing. They are waking. And they drink from me again. If nothing else befalls them, then there is no need to stress about them more. Let them rest. Let us rest.”

Solan exhaled, a long breath as if releasing the weight of the forest from his chest. He bent and pressed a kiss to her temple, then leaned in to hug her and the children in her arms. “As you say. For tonight… We’ll trust they’re safe and healthy.”

The fire dwindled to embers, shadows stretching long across the room as silence rose over the manor once again.