Across from him, Snow and Emma, who had been roused from their sleep and were still a little drowsy, immediately followed his lead. "Thank you, Mother-in-law," Snow said with a thankful look. It seemed even she enjoyed the meal.

Emma just gave a sharp, definite nod, patting her stomach with a satisfied expression.

Melissa chuckled, gathering the empty bowls. "You're all very welcome. Now, you've all had a long day. You should get some rest."

Adrian stood up. "Here, let me help you clean up."

Almost in unison, the three girls also stood up. "We will help," Grey stated.

"Yes, let's all help," Snow added.

Emma was already reaching for a cup. But Adrian held up his hands. "No, it's okay. I've got this. You three should go on to bed. You need the rest more than I do." He could see the protest forming in Snow's eyes and the stubborn look on Grey's face, but this time, he didn't give in to them.

"Really, it's okay; there's no need to help," he insisted, his voice firm but kind. "I want to do this, alright."

There was a brief, silent standoff around the table. After a while of back and forth and finally seeing his determination, Snow gave a reluctant sigh. Grey looked at him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. Emma, ever pragmatic, simply shrugged and turned toward the bedroom. One by one, they filed out of the main room, leaving Adrian alone with his mother and the mess.

****

The task of washing and drying the few wooden bowls and spoons wasn't as tiring as one would think. Adrian sighed as he placed the final clean plate back into the wooden cabinet, wiping his wet hands on his trousers. He glanced out the small window and was surprised to see that it had gotten pretty late by the time he finished washing.

The moon was already high, its pale light casting long, silvery shadows across the frozen ground outside. He smiled tiredly. It had been an impossibly long day, filled with everything from butchering game to surviving the confusing attentions of the women in his life.

He walked over to the dining table, where the fire in the fireplace had died down to a bed of glowing embers. He went out to get some fresh wood before rekindling it.

With the house regaining its warmth again, just like the night before, he pulled out a chair, sat down, and laid his head and upper body on the cool, smooth wood of the tabletop. The familiar position was strangely comfortable—well, more than last night at least. Within minutes, the deep exhaustion pulled him down into a heavy, dreamless slumber, his breathing evening out into a soft, steady rhythm.

Sometime later, long after he'd fallen asleep, soft footsteps approached him in the absolute dark of the room. A figure quietly made their way towards him, moving into the faint, silvery square of moonlight that fell through the window.

Unlike what one would expect, this time it wasn't Melissa.

Snow stood over him, her white hair seeming to absorb the moonlight, enhancing her own beauty. She looked down at his sleeping form, her expression unreadable.

She was holding one of the thick woollen blankets from his bed. With a careful, almost reverent tenderness, she laid it over his shoulders, tucking it around him to ward off the night's chill. She then leaned down, her hair brushing his cheek, and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his temple.

"Sleep well, my darling," she whispered into the silence, her voice as soft as a melody.

Straightening up, she gave him one last, long look before turning and silently padding back to the bedroom, the door clicking shut behind her without a sound.

Across the main room, another door was open just a crack. Melissa stood in the darkness of her own doorway, having been woken by the soft sounds. She had watched the entire quiet scene unfold.

A gentle, warm, and deeply satisfied smile spread across her face in the dark. She didn't make a sound, simply watching the spot where Snow had been for a moment longer before she too retreated, closing her door with a soft, final click, leaving her son to his peaceful, blanket-warmed sleep.

******

A thin, grey light was just beginning to filter through the window when Adrian's eyes fluttered open. He lay still for a moment because when he glanced outside the window, he grew confused.

The reason being that it was at the break of dawn; by earthly time, now would be no different from 6:00 in the morning.

He usually woke to the sounds brought about by his mother or the girls or when his body usually decided to wake up on its own, which was around 7:00 AM. Him waking up this early was a first.

'Well, there's no use dwelling over such pointless things,' he said to himself.

He sat up, the blanket Snow had tucked around him sliding from his shoulders, and stretched his arms high above his head, his back popping in several places.

He glanced out the window at the rising sun, which looked like a dull orange disc in the sky; the light early morning fog made it a bit hard though.

"Since I'm up so early, I wonder what I should do. Maybe I could go gather some herbs before everyone else wakes up," he mumbled to himself, his eyes trailing around the place only to freeze when he saw a pair of strange eyes fixed on him.

'F*ck!' Adrian shot up from his seat, his heart lurching in his chest, but he calmed down moments later when he saw clearly who those eyes belonged to.

"What was that for?!" Adrian glared at Emma, almost raising his voice. She had really given him a scare just now.

She was already dressed, her small hands folded in her lap. Just from a quick glance, one could see that she had been watching him with an unnerving, silent intensity. The fact that she hadn't made a single sound was even more frightening.

'How long has she been there?' he wondered inwardly, a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold running down his spine.

'No, that's not it. Why on earth was she watching me…'

'Is she planning on harming me?' A grim thought entered his mind.

But the thought vanished when he saw a teasing smile on her lips as she began to chuckle.

'This little midget…' Adrian's eyes twitched from the sight. To think that she had been trying to play a prank on him.

Adrian grumbled under his breath, running a hand over his face to dispel the last remnants of sleep and the creepiness of the moment. He was just about to ask her why she was up so early when a firm, deliberate knock echoed from the front door, the sound unnaturally loud, disturbing the morning quiet.

'Who in the world could that be at this hour?' he questioned, his brow furrowing.

'It was too early for visitors, no?'

Pushing himself up from the table, he walked to the door and pulled it open. The sight that greeted him was not what he expected. Standing on his doorstep was a man who looked like he had stepped out of a different world.

He was an old man with a slim build and stood with a posture so straight and rigid it seemed painful yet elegant. His clothes, while practical for travel, were impeccably neat, giving him the air of an eloquent man who seemed to prioritise appearance over the freezing weather. Nevertheless, Adrian didn't get the sense of someone freezing from the old man. If he had to point out the only part of his outfit that looked designed for this weather, it would be his black mittens and snow cap.

His face was a mask of stoic professionalism, every line etched with visible discipline. Behind him, looking both relieved and deeply awkward, stood Leo, who was also dressed in clean, well-made travelling clothes.

The old man gave a slight, formal bow that was just deep enough to be polite without being subservient. "Good morning," he said, his voice as crisp and dry as autumn leaves. "I am Ignatius Florwick, butler to the Morningstar household."

Adrian's eyes flickered to Leo, his confusion mounting.

Leo offered a weak, apologetic smile. "Adrian. This is Ignatius. He's my family butler. He's here to take us back to the capital."

"Please allow me to thank you on behalf of the Morningstar household for saving the life of our young master." Ignatius bowed again.

Before Adrian could process this, Ignatius smoothly interjected. "Might we come in? If it's not too much, I'd like to begin discussing matters as soon as possible."

Adrian studied the butler for a long, silent moment. The man's eyes were sharp and intelligent, missing nothing. He carried an air of unshakable authority that had nothing to do with physical size.

'He doesn't look dangerous… and I don't smell any blood off him nor does he have an ominous air around him, so it should be fine.'

Finally, Adrian nodded and stepped back. "Alright. Come in."

He led them to the dining table, the very spot where he had just been sleeping. "Have a seat. I'll… go get the others."

******

A short while later, the small dining area felt crowded due to the presence of Ignatius and Leo, along with everyone else. Adrian and his mother, Melissa, sat on one side of the table. Leo and Ignatius sat opposite them. Emma had reclaimed her seat next to Adrian, while Snow and Grey stood behind his chair.

Ignatius was the first to speak, his hands resting neatly on the table. "It is a pleasure to meet you all, Lady Melissa. I genuinely appreciate your hospitality."

Melissa, ever gracious even when flustered, gave a small, polite nod. "The pleasure is ours, kind sir."

"I do not wish to beat around the bush," Ignatius continued, his gaze sweeping over the group before settling on Adrian. "We will be departing this morning. Are you and your… companions… prepared to leave?"

Adrian leaned forward. "We are. But why the rush? The sun's barely up."

"I'm afraid we have no other choice," Ignatius replied without hesitation. "Travelling at first light shortens the journey considerably and, more importantly, lessens our chances of encountering… hindrances." He paused, his expression turning grim. "I have done some research on the route. The path we will take to the capital is the most direct, but it has a known history of… casualties."

A cold knot tightened in Adrian's stomach. "Casualties? Then why take that path? Isn't there another way?"

"There is a longer, more circuitous route," Ignatius explained. "It sees less negative activity, that is true. However, the extended duration of travel presents its own dangers."

"Like what?" Adrian asked.

"Well, for starters, there's prolonged exposure to danger, dwindling supplies—things such as those are what I'd very much like for us to avoid."

"I see… I understand. I'm just surprised there isn't a safer path."

Ignatius froze for a moment before a look of realisation came on his face. He concluded that Adrian had probably never left this little village before, which was why he knew nothing about the outside situation of the kingdom.

To Ignatius' knowledge, the kingdom of Gruneville was known to be one of, if not the safest kingdoms on the continent, but even then, the danger levels were still high due to the ever-present troubles of the supernaturals.

Humanity was barely keeping them at bay with how things were. During travels, it wasn't surprising for there to be casualties; in some cases, it was very common for lives to be lost.

Back to the discussion at hand.

"The shorter path, for all its reputed dangers, is a risk I believe is worth taking," Ignatius said.

"Forgive me, but if I may ask, which path did you use to get here?" Adrian asked, his eyes narrowing.

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