Everyone sat around the table, their faces solemn and sad, as they listened to Xiu's tale. They were reminded how even though their lives had problems, it was nowhere near enough compared to the things their elders went through.

They had brought the peace to them, which they could enjoy with them.

Xavier's focus was fully on Aegon's words, and that's when he recalled something as he said, "There was a civil war back then..."

"Yeah. After her parents died, Xiu was devastated and just wanted to return to her home to bring their remains back. She wanted to give them a proper burial, but what greeted her was something different."

Aegon held back his emotions, as he continued.

"Someone did a coup while the King and Queen were away, overthrowing the Chen Clan and taking the throne. They massacred the whole Chen Clan, even little babies just so that no one was left alive to have a claim on that throne."

"Monsters!" Cali slammed her fist on the table, eyes blazing with fury. "How could they... is that something really my Kingdom produced?"

"Demons! They were demons in human skin!" Xavier gritted his teeth, trying to contain his anger.

All of them loved Xiu so much that they treated her as their second mother. Even though they didn't share blood connection, none ever felt like it was needed.

Now hearing what she went through made their hearts ache, as if it was burning in sadness for them. Fury blazed inside them as they wished they could have been there for her.

"She was just a child," Elara hugged her knees tightly, as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Not even ten years old. How could this happen?"

"Are any of them alive?" Rosa asked, her voice so low that they could barely make out her words, but what they did notice clearly was her unhinged anger.

"We're talking about Xiu. So what do you think?" Aegon asked, still having his eyes closed as he was afraid of letting out too many emotions.

"Damn it! I never really had much hate towards demons, didn't get it." Rosa said, unsheathing her blades. "But now...I swear on my blades that are my life, I will bring down the Mobius Alliance."

"Calm down! Nobody is asking you to do all this. Even Xiu would be against this," Aegon sighed and finally opened his eyes. "Blindly making revenge your goal is foolish, Rosa. I know you're angry, but that's even more reason not to make any rash decisions."

"Are you telling me to forget all of this? Because I can't!" Rosa's whole body trembled as she muttered. "I can't. I just can't."

"Nobody is telling you to do that. Can we talk this later?" Aegon asked, his eyes hopeful. "If my family, including Xiu, can choose their loved ones over revenge, then so can you."

Rosa slumped down beside Elara, taking her hand and began rubbing it. Somehow, whatever she tried worked as both calmed down.

"In any case, that was also when Xiu met Aunt Lia," Aegon said, turning towards Elara.

"Mom?" Elara was surprised and even Rosa stirred beside her.

"Apparently, she liked to run away from home, so at that time, she hid in the Moonrise Kingdom. When the usurpers tried to put down Xiu too, Aunt Lia saved her and they both ran away from the Moonrise Kingdom."

He chuckled softly, adding.

"If even Elves couldn't hold her back, how can the newbie usurpers do that? From there, Aunt Lia left Xiu at the Augustus residence and left for her own things."

"Why Augustus residence?" Xavier asked in confusion. "The Songsword Residency would make more sense, no?"

"I don't know much about them, but the Songsword were at odds with their own daughter, let alone her. It's also because the sole heir to House Augustus had taken a liking to Xiu in that wartime. He saw her as a little sister he never had, so my Grandma then adopted Xiu."

Aegon couldn't help but chuckle as he remembered some fond memories.

"Well, things changed from there. Even if Xiu became a disaster, the Augustus family welcomed her. She was punished every now and then, especially since she lived a chaotic life to cope up with her depression. She did all kinds of things that infuriated my Grandma, but she never gave up on her."

He leaned back, pausing.

"Once her mental health healed a little, she gathered more orphans of war like her, those who were suffering still unlike her who got such a backing. That's how Red Viel came into existence."

"Those fearsome people actually were just picked up by Aunt Xiu?"

Aegon nodded, "Yes, then she trained them to her liking and gave them a life. A purpose. She could have taken House Augustus' help to take back her kingdom, as even my Grandma alone would have been enough for that, but she wanted to do that herself."

"And she conquered the Moonrise Kingdom with Red Veil?" Cali asked.

"Yup! That's also when the world came to know of their existence. They took back the Kingdom by putting every single usurper to their execution." Aegon nodded. "But Xiu never wanted that Kingdom. It brought memories of her parents, the happy memories she could never have again, so she gave it to your family."

"Ah! Now I finally understand why Father knelt before her and even offered the Kingdom to you. It's yours to begin with," Xavier gasped, finally understanding everything.

"Blood alone doesn't qualify you for that position, in my opinion so it is not mine." Aegon shook his head in denial. "Anyways, this is why even if Xiu is overprotective, I don't mind it. Because I know even now her soul is scared to lose more of her loved ones. The fear just grew after my Grandma's death."

He stared at his hands, remembering how Xiu held them as she taught him how to walk and always accompanied him in his every problem.

"She has that right. I'll never decline that love because I'm also a greedy person. I want it. I'll take all of that overprotectiveness gladly."

Soon, he felt heavy bodies pressing against him, as his friends gave him a hug from all sides. They had so much to say, but no words came out so they simply did the one thing they could think of.

They also understood that even they could face such fate anytime, so they valued their bonds even more now.

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