2

Uncle Miggi gazed outside where Lili and Ryo were talking.

"Come in son, I saw everything."

Miggi was assured that his son felt disgraceful and it was hard for him to step inside that place and face his father. The dignity of his little man that moments before got broken.

They followed the rough voice that summoned them inside. Luna smiled at her uncle. Miggi's blue eyes glinted, this time hadn't the hard look that he was wearing a while before when he hit the steel, now very soft and smooth.

"Kids, watch this! We have three daggers with the badge of our kin, carved on the end of hilts, Heads of Griffins." Eli shouted out excitedly.

Luna's eyes drew teary, it was saying that he spent days and nights making such arts, she rushed forward and hugged him.

"Gods' sake, darling! I smell like a pig!"

She shook her head. The twelve years old girl had the same idea as her younger sister but she had no fear of showing her emotions, unlike Ell.

She released him and gazed up into his eyes, "this scent comes out of the God of art and perseverance. The filthy court of Belingtone didn't deserve a man like you."

He wanted to caress her head but loathed to cause this muse any dirt.

"Thank you, father! You kept it hidden from me."

Ryo knelt in front of his father. It was a surprise to him that sounded sweet.

"Rise, three of you worth it, use them well."

His son slid on his feet, he entirely forgot what had happened in the yard near the Rose bushes.

Eli brought the daggers that were inside the carved steel sheaths.

"You bless us with these arts." She begged.

"Fine, then you promise to clean up yourself, your parents will arrive by the dawn, I'd dislike they see you this way."

"You mean, our father!" Eli corrected her uncle.

The ten years old Lili bobbed her head. Her face looked as if a goblin wiggled inside the marsh.

Uncle Miggi grabbed the daggers, directing to them, he mentioned, "stand in a row, like the men of the kings, Lili, you first."

He rowed them by the age, Lili, Ryo, and Eli who was the keenest amongst all.

"I, Miggi Noah call you by the name of Griffin tamers Kin. Here, you will get the honor of this title, a dagger made of rare steel that I brought from the Faeries land when I was young. You the light of darkness, Lili take this title as a Queen of hearts."

He put down the first one in Lili's hand and she bowed, "I, Lili Noah, the daughter of the moon, I appreciate this honor. May gods bless us to use it against darkness."

She walked away but Ryo was already staring at her, spellbound by the speech that she just offered them perfectly. To him, everything about his cousin was perfect.

"Move, Ryo!"

He looked back at his father when Eli poked him from the back.

He got his dagger, tending to hug his father but a strong forefinger stopped him by the forehead.

"Don't even attempt to touch me like this."

Ryo's eyes grew wide, his body remained still, he was acting like a silly panhandler that just achieved treasure.

"It is my turn."

Eli's eyes were sparkling, if the dirt hadn't masked her face, you could say that her pale skin now was flourished like spring pink roses.

"You, Eli Noah walk forward."

To her, it was as if a dream that found a way to reality, every noisy sound around her decreased, only the image of that glowing dagger when she saw him as a king with a crown on his head.

She expanded her palms and waited for him to chant the words for her glory.

"Eli, I call you the Queen of Night, your bravery will become a word that runs mouth to mouth, your glory will bring pride to our kin and your name will bring dread into the dark hearts of our enemies."

The heat and flames of the furnace changed as if stars and cheers in her perspective and she sensed the cold steel-made sheath kissing in her palms.

She rolled her head down, bowing to him, she strongly said, "I am carrying these words with my soul."

The shrieks of laughter brought her back to presence. She shot back glare to where their stepmother was standing. Why was she here always to ruin every joyful moment that she barely could earn?

She sensed her uncle's hand on her shoulder. Although he hated to touch the mud, he supported her from yanking back, a strong mountain that never could fall by a shiver.

"You arrived early father, we are surprised."

Lili abruptly chimed in before her sister could pick a fight with Elenore. The young lady with redhead was wearing dark glorious gowns that the gem beads only could buy a house for a villager, but it was dark exactly like her soul. She smirked at Lili, taking her nose with those leather-gloved fingers.

"Yes, daughter! Prepare yourself. We are going home before dark."

Their father was a slender man who wore a gray tailcoat. He held the umbrella down. His hat covered his forehead but his brown eyes were visible, not concealed by the shadow of edges. This was the most image of him that they always captured in their mind.

"But today was my mother's memorial day, you promised us a whole day, not only a few hours."

Eli protested, almost shouting, wearing rage toward her father.

"Yes, darling! I am truly sorry but our business in the court ended faster than we expected."

"Look at you! We left only a few hours and you are so unlike yourself."

Elenore noted, tugging it a disgusted complexion, it made Eli even more furious.

"This is the real me."

She squeezed the dagger in her hand.

Uncle Miggi found it hard for their father to convince them. He knelt, turning Eli to himself by the shoulder.

"Listen the Queen of the night, you must go home. This time, you should spend this night with your father. You should not take this chance from him. See, the forest has gone savage, if a storm arrived unexpectedly, we wouldn't be able to lit up candles."

Eli glanced out, the window's glass was hazy by the steam but she could hear the branches, the groaning woods that made it unsafe for all of them.

Her eyes averted to her uncle, "come with us if here is unsafe."

He manly smiled and shook his head.