⊱ ─ 𝕱𝖔𝖊𝖘 тσ 𝕱𝖑𝖆𝖒𝖊𝖘 ─ ⊰ [ ᴘᴏɴᴛɪғғ x ᴋɪᴛᴛᴇɴ ]

[Kitten]

"You're right. Let's get some rest," Lumi said, her voice soft as her gaze lingered on the two of them. With a gentle wave, she bid them goodnight, her expression warm but tinged with an unspoken heaviness. The thought of returning home didn’t entirely sit well with her, though the idea of reuniting with her siblings after so long did bring a small sense of comfort. "Sleep well, Wrynn and Varre," she added with a faint smile before turning on her heels and retreating to her room. The warmth of the shower enveloped her like a soothing embrace, washing away the tension that had clung to her throughout the evening. As the remnants of her nerves dissolved, she felt lighter, refreshed, and ready for the solace of sleep to claim her.

Lumi had always been an early riser, a habit ingrained in her youth and one she maintained with quiet discipline into adulthood. After gathering her belongings, she stepped out of her room, unsurprised to find Varre nearby. "Good morning, Varre," she greeted, her tone calm but purposeful. "We won't take long to eat before setting out." When they crossed paths with Wrynn a short while later, she offered him a polite "Good morning" as well. True to her word, they made quick work of their meal, eager to begin the journey toward her kingdom. She couldn't help but feel relieved that they’d be traveling on horseback rather than enduring the trek on foot, sparing them the strain and allowing for swifter progress.

The weather had softened, the heavy snowfall giving way to delicate flurries that drifted lazily from the skies. The air was crisp but pleasantly mild, with little to no wind to bite at their cheeks. Perched atop her horse, Lumi ran her fingers gently through its mane, her touch tender and reverent. She patted its strong, graceful neck with care, her voice soft as she whispered, "Thank you for letting me ride you." Her words carried genuine gratitude, treating the horse not as a mere animal but as a trusted companion. Her gaze shifted to Wrynn and Varre as she called out, "We ready?" Without waiting long for a response, she took the reins firmly in hand and gave them a decisive flick, signaling her horse to move forward. With a steady rhythm of hooves against the earth, the journey began.

Fortunately, they had packed enough food rations and water to sustain them throughout the journey, as stopping for a proper meal would have cost them precious time. If they wanted to reach the castle by sundown, they couldn't afford delays. "We're almost there," Lumi announced, her voice cutting through the steady rhythm of hooves on the ground. Though Varre was already familiar with the route, she wanted to keep Wrynn informed. He might not have traveled to her kingdom -or even this region - before, and she preferred to keep him in the loop.

The weariness of the long ride began to settle in. Lumi could feel her horse growing fatigued, its pace slowing with each passing mile. Her own thighs ached from the unrelenting hours in the saddle, but they pressed on, encouraged by the sight ahead. As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, the distant kingdom finally came into view. Its towering structures glowed softly, their lights illuminating the surroundings like a beacon of warmth and welcome in the encroaching twilight.

Perhaps it was the anticipation of reaching their destination that made the final stretch feel agonizingly slow. Yet, as soon as they arrived, the trio wasted no time in guiding their weary horses to the stables, ensuring the animals were well cared for after their long journey. With the horses tended to, they stretched out their stiff, aching muscles and allowed themselves a moment to recover before making their way to the grand entrance of the castle.

Just as Lumi raised her hand to knock on the towering doors, they burst open with an excited clamor. Her younger brother and sister - her twin siblings only a year shy of twenty - practically launched themselves at her, enveloping her in an enthusiastic and much-needed embrace.

"Lumi!!!" they cried in unison, their voices filled with joy and relief. Her brother, now towering over her, easily wrapped her in his arms, while her sister, only slightly shorter, joined in the embrace with equal fervor. Lumi couldn’t help but laugh softly, the warmth of their affection melting away the fatigue of the journey. For the first time in a long while, she felt truly at home.

"Guys, you're going to suffocate me!" Lumi exclaimed with a lighthearted laugh, though her arms instinctively wrapped around both of them, pulling them into a tight embrace. "So much has changed since I last saw you," she whispered, her voice softening. "Oh, how I've missed you." She could feel the sting of tears threatening to fall, but she held them back, not wanting to linger too long on the time they'd spent apart.

After a few more moments in their embrace, Lumi stepped back, her expression warm as she gestured toward Wrynn. "This is Wrynn," she said, her tone turning formal yet fond. "He's my classmate and has been traveling with me. I know I don't need to say this, but please show him the same hospitality and kindness you’ve always shown me." Her siblings nodded eagerly, their smiles brimming with curiosity as they turned their attention to Wrynn.

"Nice to meet you, Wrynn. I'm Lexi," Lumi's sister greeted warmly, offering a graceful curtsy as she acknowledged him with a polite smile.

"And I'm Luca," he introduced, bowing respectfully before straightening with practiced ease. "We have dinner prepared in the grand dining room, but if you’d prefer to freshen up first, let us show you to your room." His tone was welcoming, his demeanor calm and collected - a stark contrast to Varre's often brusque nature.

Turning to Lumi with a nostalgic smile, Luca added, "Lumi, your room is exactly as you left it. You know where to find it." His words carried a sense of nostalgia, and the gesture of his hand invited Wrynn to follow, ensuring their guest felt completely at ease in their home despite the recent affairs.

Hex Codes

Lexi - 797ef6
Luca- 4adede

 

[Pontiff]

Despite Lumi’s request to her guard that he behave himself and to treat her traveling companion with respect and not as a member of Nilheim that was currently causing issues on the border. He was here on ministry business and didn’t have time to argue with someone from the royal guard, and his distaste for Wrynn could cause issues and complications if he were trying to move through the kingdom. “Sleep Well, Lumi,” Wrynn responded, but his eyes glanced towards Varre, who was looking in his direction before turning to his princess and bowing his head to her, showing his respect. She was the princess of these lands, and it was only proper that she was shown respect even if she didn’t want such a thing and wanted to go by her name. He could only obey so much before disregarding her requests not to treat her like royalty.

“Sleep well, Lumi.” He made his own comment before watching the two disappear into their own private rooms before he would take his own leave into his private quarters for the night.

With the sun rising over the horizon, Lumi would find her guard standing already in the hallway, prepared to leave. Dressed in his armor with his hand resting upon the pommel of his sword. He provided a bow upon Lumi’s appearance. “Of course, it is my duty to ensure I’m by your side for protection until we arrive back home and you are in the safety of the castle walls.”

Shortly after, the door to Wrynn’s room opened, and the gloomy-eyed man stepped out with his pack already over his backside. He was dressed in the familiar Nilheim robes of his home—black and silver. “Good morning.” He responded in kind but spoke nothing to Varre, who also didn’t say a word. The three of them gathered their quick breakfast before heading to the stables of the inn, where three horses had been provided to them. Upon seeing the horses, Wrynn was slightly surprised because of this region's harsh, cold nature. He figured they would have something more robust and sturdy for the cold weather year-round.

Taking to the saddle and gathering the reins, he would follow behind Lumi, who would be in the middle of the small convoy that had started as Varre chose to ride in the front. "I will keep an eye out, so please stay behind me, Princess." He had returned to calling her by her title now that they were on the road and no longer in front of civilians that would make her uncomfortable to be called by such a regal title after playing ministry mage in front of them.

The ride was long and harsh, but the cold weather was on their side that day, it seemed. Blessing them with only light breezes and the natural chill of the temperature, the cold didn’t bother Wrynn as his magic continued to regulate through his body. He kept himself warm even in the harshest climates, as Lumi and Varre were more bundled before him.

The sun was soon to set now beneath the horizon. The towers of the castle pierced the sky and soon came into full view as the party was tired from the hard day's ride, and the horses would need plenty of rest. Wrynn was already planning for Lumi’s parents to request that she stay for more than a day before traveling deeper into the country to enter the taiga in which the spirit tree rested.

“Lumi!!!” The voices pierced out as the doors to the castle burst open. Lumi was surrounded by her siblings, who hugged her tightly. Varre was removing Lumi’s belongings and pack from her horse and already moving ahead to carry them inside and up to her chambers so she did not have the burden of carrying them herself after the long day ride. "I will take these inside to your chambers, welcome home Princess." Varre seemed more at ease now that there was more to protect her than just himself. More he could trust and not needing to rely on a Nilheim man to protect his Princess.

Wrynn stayed behind, just off to the right of Lumi, who was busy with her siblings until they noticed his presence. His hand held firmly onto the travel back that was slung over his shoulder before Lumi had introduced him to her brother and sister.

“Lumi has spoken highly and glowingly of you two; putting faces to the names is nice.” The truth was that she had only mentioned her siblings once to Wrynn, but he made it sound like she gushed on and on about them. A small smile on Wrynn’s face as he seemed to be saying this intentionally as he shuffled his feet in the snow and began to move up the stairs with Lumi and her siblings.

“Thank you for the hospitality. I’m sure it isn’t easy for some to see my presence within these walls, but I’m here in Ministry Business as a guest.” He already felt the eyes on him from the guards on the wall and soon the guards that were stationed inside the warm walls. Of course, nothing was said, but he knew the look in their eyes and how they had already cast their judgment upon him, even if Lumi and her family were more open-minded. The people were not so easily swayed.

“Lumi. I suspect your parents will ask you to stay for a couple of days to get rest and to catch up with you before we continue our journey to the spirit tree. In this meantime, if we do stay, I can teach you more about mana control.” Just two days ago, when they encountered the troll, he criticized her porous mana control and how she burned through it. How casting her spell to defeat the troll nearly drained her.

“If you want, of course.” He realized how sudden it may seem as they never even spoke about training or working on any of their studies since they had left the ministry, but he found it important that she work on it if they were to continue this journey together. It would be important in the fights to come – luckily, they have only had to deal with a single troll all alone, but if the spirit trees have been harmed or corrupted, then the deeper they travel, the more angry that nature and its creatures may be. Also, were there any bandits or highwaymen looking for a quick rob on two travelers?

He followed the royal family as they casually strolled deeper into the castle where the guest room would be for Wrynn so he could get some rest and change into something else before dinner.

 

[Kitten]

As they walked, both Lexi and Luca filled the air with chatter, eagerly recounting the details of what they were doing while Lumi and Wrynn traveled to get there. Their stories weren't particularly groundbreaking - just updates on their magic research, progress with their usual studies, and how mother and father were faring. From their descriptions, it seemed everything was going smoothly. Yet, what stood out most, though, was their mention of how much mother and father had changed over the years. According to them, they'd grown softer, more open, and surprisingly accepting of change - a shift that brought a quiet sense of warmth and relief to the conversation.

Glancing back, she noticed Wrynn trailing behind, his quiet demeanor suggesting he didn't want to intrude on her family time. With a gentle smile, she motioned for him to come closer, shifting slightly to make room by her side. "Don't be shy," she encouraged, her tone warm and inviting.

As they walked, her heart twinged with pity for him. She was well aware of the glances and subtle glares he was enduring from the guards, their wariness evident. But Wrynn remained steadfast, his strength and resolve unwavering. He didn't seem the least bit fazed by their scrutiny, a testament to his resilience. He could have easily declined to accompany her, choosing the comfort of a nearby inn instead, but he hadn't - and that only deepened her admiration for him.

"In this meantime, if we do stay, I can teach you more about mana control."​

"...You wouldn't mind helping me train?" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise at his extended offer. Mana control had always eluded her - a skill she'd struggled to grasp on her own. Her pride had kept her from seeking help in the past, stubbornly refusing advice even when she knew it might benefit her. But something had shifted these past few days. Her pride, once unyielding, seemed to have softened, leaving her more open to accepting the support she once resisted. And then there was Wrynn. Their growing companionship, whether she wanted to admit it or not, was beginning to change her. His steady presence made her feel both challenged and supported in ways she hadn't expected. Perhaps this was her chance to not only improve but to truly trust someone else for the first time in a long while.

"It's never a bad thing to get insight from someone else, sis," Lexi chimed in, her voice light and cheerful as she joined the conversation uninvited. Despite her eavesdropping, her words carried no malice or judgment, just her usual warmth. "Sometimes you might even discover things you hadn't considered before, and it can help you see things from a whole new perspective." Her bubbly personality shone through like a little ray of sunshine, dispelling any tension in the moment. It was impossible to be annoyed with her - her optimism had a way of making even the most stubborn walls feel a little less rigid.

"This is your room, Wrynn!" Luca said warmly, gesturing to the door on the right. "Please, try to make yourself at home. I know that's easier said than done, but we're here for you." His tone was kind, addressing the unspoken awkwardness in the air with gentle sincerity. Pointing down the hall to the left, he added, "Lumi's bedroom is just down there if you need anything from her," offering Wrynn a sense of reassurance as he oriented him to the unfamiliar space. With a respectful bow, Luca gave him one last encouraging smile before heading off to his own quarters, leaving Wrynn with a sense of quiet understanding and welcome.

"Well, I'm going to wash up for dinner," Lumi said with a small, inviting smile. "I'll meet you at your door, and we can head down together." She gave him a subtle wave before turning toward her room, a space she hadn't set foot in for years.