Alive and Smiling

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Elias, wake up."

"Wake up, Elias."

Faint voices drifted in from both sides. It had been a while since I had slept this long, yet my body felt heavy, as if weighed down, and my clothes were being tugged from side to side. I groaned, hoping it would stop. 

But it only got worse.

A soft whisper pressed against my ears. "Wake up, Elias."

Startled awake, I opened my eyes to find Alice and Karen on both sides of me, hugging close and tugging at my pyjamas as they whispered my name.

“W-what are you doing in my room?” I stammered, panicked.

“Hmmm, no need to be loud, Elias. Grandma told us to wake you up. It’s breakfast time.” Alice pouted.

When my vision cleared, my face flushed. They were both still in their modest red silk nightdresses. “Why aren’t you dressed yet!?”

“Fufufu,” Karen laughed, pointing at my chest. “Are you shy, Elias?”

Alice smirked. “It’s fine, we’re siblings, it's completely normal for siblings to be close. Nothing to worry about. Or… perhaps you were thinking something else?”

"..."

“That’s not normal!” I snapped in embarrassment, shutting my eyes. “Now get out!”

“Eeeek, Elias is mad now!” Alice and Karen teased as the two of them scurried out, giggling, pretending to squeal in fear.

—These sisters are going to give me a heart attack.

"..."

After dressing, washing, and fixing my hair, I followed the scent of food downstairs. The dining room greeted me with marbled floors, finely carved chairs, and a gold-plated table draped in white cloth. Silver plates and utensils gleamed over bread, sizzling bacon, beans, fried potatoes, mushrooms, and sliced eggs.

It was practically English Breakfast.

By the fire-run stove, Grandma laid out more dishes. Spotting me, she smiled. “Finally awake, sleepyhead. Go on, sit down and eat.”

I slipped into the last open seat beside Father. He gave me a look, and I simply nodded in greeting. Across from us, Alice and Karen were already chattering as they nibbled on bread.

“Elias,” Alice grinned mischievously, “do you want me to feed you?”

I sighed. “I can eat by myself, thank you.”

“Boo hoo, such a mood killer,” Karen pouted.

I served myself and bit into the bacon, stopping in surprise. It was richer, juicier, and firmer than any I had ever tasted before.

Yum.

“Do you like it?” Grandma asked. “That’s fresh boar meat I hunted yesterday.”

“Yes,” I admitted, chewing. “It’s… very juicy, but firm.”

Grandma was incredible. Hunting, chopping wood, cooking, all by herself. I could almost picture living like that, too… someday. Though considering the beasts in the forest, wolves, bears, and worse, it was a miracle. Then again, judging by the way she carried herself, maybe it wasn’t a miracle at all.

Maybe Grandma had a special skill that let her live like this.

"..."

After breakfast, I helped Alice and Karen with the dishes while Grandma and Father drifted into one of those awkward parent-child conversations, mostly stilted, mostly earnest.

When we finished, Grandma set the tray down and said, “Alright, children, you’re free to explore. Don’t wander too far, okay?”

“Are there wild beasts nearby, Grandma?” Alice asked, eyes wary.

“No, you’ll be fine. I’ve taken care of most of them,” Grandma said with an odd little smile that somehow made the gruesome sound almost ordinary.

“Grandma so strong!” Karen cheered as Grandma flexed her arm. Alice and Karen followed up with applause while Father looked on, half embarrassed and half proud.

“Aren’t you coming with us?” I asked. 

It felt strange that Father and Grandma weren’t joining us. Were they going somewhere else? Or did they have something important to attend to?

“You see, Elias, Maa and I have something important to discuss,” Father replied. “We’ll be flying off shortly. And we should be back by evening. Make sure to stay close and look after your sisters. And don’t be out for too long, be back by dark. Understood?”

“Yes, Father,” I said firmly, trying to sound serious, as if following a direct order from a superior.

Alice and Karen immediately wrapped their arms around me.

“Let’s go on a date, Elias!” Karen teased, eyes sparkling.

“It’s not a date,” I sighed, rolling my eyes.

"..."

We watched the wyvern lift Father and Grandma into the sky, then proceeded to wander into the woods together. Trees towered above us, the ground soft and damp underfoot. Crystal-clear pools glimmered in small clearings; strange, hare-like creatures with tiny horns peered from the underbrush before scurrying away. Birds called, cuckooing, while the air smelled of pine and earth. We walked close, close enough to feel one another’s warmth, and as we let mother nature embrace us in easy silence.

Eventually, an awkward silence settled over us as we ventured deeper into the woods. Karen, usually so chatty, had grown unusually quiet and timid. When I glanced at her, she quickly looked away, perhaps feeling embarrassed, same was the case for Alice. After all, it had been some time since we last had a proper conversation, aside from the morning’s playful antics.

"..."

“So, how are you both?” I asked, forcing a lightness into my voice. “Nice weather, isn’t it?”

— Great, who even talks about the weather under the shelter of trees? 

"!"

“What was that even?” Alice giggled, and I felt my face heat up with embarrassment. She quickly waved it off, laughing softly. “Sorry, sorry! I didn’t mean to.”

“I’m happy,” she said softly, meeting my eyes. “I'm very happy. If it weren’t for you, Elias, who knows where we'd be?”

“Me too!” Karen squeezed my arm, excitement spilling over. “We were initially sad about your…'pre­monitions', but we don’t care now. We’re free now!"

They both stepped back, away from my arms. Bowing deeply, they spoke. “Thank you, Elias. Thank you for everything. We love you very much.”

"..."

I simply smiled at them. That was all I had ever wanted, nothing more, nothing less, just to see them alive, happy, and smiling. All the countless iterations, all the deaths, simply washed away in that moment. Now, everything was slowly falling into place. 

I could only hope this would last… forever.