Above the Mansion, Beyond the Past - Part III

The carriage fell mostly silent as the journey continued, despite our earlier conversation. Father spent the time poring over documents, as if work never paused, even while travelling. I, on the other hand, picked a few fruits from a compartment and chewed thoughtfully, gazing out the tinted windows. At first, the view was mostly clouds, but as we covered more distance, hills and long brown paths came into view, dotted with horse-drawn carriages. Strange creatures, unlike anything I had seen before, roamed the fields. Trees and large lakes stretched across the landscape, truly beautiful, a stark contrast to the city life you would've seen in the previous world. In the sky, birds and smaller wyvern-like creatures flew cautiously around us, keeping their distance from our massive companion.

Two hours passed in this quiet observation.

"..."

"Elias! Brace yourself, we’ll be descending soon."

"!"

The wyvern tilted downward. I gripped the seat rails with all my strength. There were no seat belts, but thankfully, the descent was smooth. As we approached the ground, my ears popped again, and the rush of altitude made my stomach flutter.

I looked down and immediately spotted a familiar carriage, surrounded by six mounted guards. As we drew closer, I saw the Vandrelis wyvern emblem on the back of the carriage. It was unmistakably the one Alice and Karen were travelling in.

The knights initially panicked at the shadow above, but then spotted the Vandrelis banner fluttering beneath the wyvern’s belly. They halted, saluted, and directed the carriage accordingly. Father guided the wyvern to land just short of the carriage, on the open field, careful not to block the path of passing traffic.

My excitement bubbled over. I wanted to leap from the wyvern carriage immediately, but I waited for Father to unlock the safety mechanism. With a whooshing sound, the door opened and mechanical steps unfolded.

"Right then, Elias—"

Before Father could finish, I dashed out—sliding down the steps and landing hard on my hips.

"Oww… oww…"

I glanced back at Father. He facepalmed, shaking his head in mild disappointment.

"..."

"Elias, is that you?"

"Sister… am I dreaming?"

Two familiar voices rang out as the horse carriage doors opened and they stepped down.

I looked up. It really was them.

Alice and Karen.

Their faces were a mix of shock and disbelief at the unexpected arrival. I rose to my feet despite the sting in my hips and rushed forward, embracing them both.

"E-Elias? Not here… It’s a bit embarrassing, everyone’s watching!" Alice blushed fiercely at the sudden hug.

"Oh, Elias, you really are cheeky, aren’t you?" Karen teased, but soon surrendered to the hug, wrapping her arms around me.

Footsteps sounded behind me. Father had arrived, letting out a scoff that somehow conveyed both amusement and reproach for his son’s impulsive antics. Alice and Karen turned to greet him.

"Father!" they exclaimed, hugging him one at a time. "What brings you here? And Elias, too?" Alice asked, smiling through her puzzlement.

"..."

I looked at Father, expecting him to explain, but to my surprise, he looked right back at me and gave a firm nod, as if telling me to speak instead. I blinked, pointing at myself in disbelief. Really? Me? It seemed Father wanted to voice his true feelings but lacked the words, so he entrusted the first step to me.

“Alice. Karen.”

Both of them turned their heads toward me. “I told Father the truth.”

"..."

The silence that followed was heavy. Then their expressions shifted, shocked, hurt, and a flicker of anger.

“Elias, how could you!? Do you really hate us that much?”

Their voices cracked, but before they could say more, they looked to Father, bracing for the cold rejection they feared. Yet instead of fury, his expression softened. He opened his arms wide.

“It’s alright, Alice, Karen,” Father said gently. “Even if you are not my daughters by blood, you are still my daughters. No matter what anyone says. You don’t need to hide anymore. I accept you both as you are.”

"..."

Tears then welled in their eyes, disbelief freezing them in place. Their mouths opened, yet no words came. Seeing this, Father stepped forward. They instinctively retreated half a step, still unable to accept what they were hearing, until he wrapped them both into a tight embrace.

“I love you, my dearest girls. I love you very much.”

That broke them. Their tears turned into sobs, their cries muffled against his chest as they clung desperately to his suit. It was a scene that mirrored the one earlier with me, proof that sometimes, a single moment of understanding could change everything.

When the storm of emotion finally settled, Father straightened, wiping away the last of their tears. Raising his hand, he gave a command to his knights. They asked no questions, immediately moving to unload Alice and Karen’s belongings from their carriage and transfer them onto the wyvern’s. With that, the empty horse carriage was repurposed for the knights, who departed toward the nearest sub-city to enjoy their well-earned month of rest.

As for Alice and Karen, they clung to me with radiant smiles, their arms hooked tightly around mine. Father had already explained our plans against Marquis Beamont, and their faces shone with relief and joy.

“Uhm…”

“Yes, Elias?” they said in perfect unison, their eyes wide and bright.

“Don’t you think you’re… a little too close?”

“What do you mean, Elias?” Alice tilted her head, feigning innocence.

“Yes, Elias. This is normal intimacy between brothers and sisters,” Karen said with a mischievous smile.

“Is it… really?” I sighed. They only tightened their grip, smiling all the while. With no hope of escape, I surrendered, letting them do as they pleased, so long as they were happy.

Inside the wyvern carriage, Alice and Karen nestled beside me, practically glued to my sides. Father only shook his head, muttering under his breath in disappointment before giving up entirely.

The wyvern spread its wings, the ground falling away beneath us as we soared into the open sky. At last, it felt as though we might finally enjoy some peace and quiet.