The road leaving the capital felt different this time.
When I first walked it months ago, I had been returning home wounded, tired, and unsure what the future held. Now the same road stretched ahead of us beneath clear skies, winding through the countryside toward land that technically belonged to me.
That thought still felt strange.
Astra chirped as she hopped from Elara's shoulder onto mine.
Her tiny claws gripped the fabric of my coat as she looked around excitedly.
"You're encouraging her," Elara said.
"I'm standing here."
"That counts."
Astra chirped proudly.
The carriage rolled over the crest of a low hill.
Then the driver slowed.
"We've arrived."
Elara and I stepped down.
Then both of us stopped.
"…this is a house?" Elara said quietly.
I didn't answer right away.
Because the structure standing before us didn't really fit the word house.
The building sat on a wide rise overlooking a valley of open land and forest. Two floors of pale stone rose above a wide wooden porch. Large windows reflected the afternoon sun, and a stable stood nearby beside a fenced pasture.
Behind the house the land stretched outward in rolling green fields until it reached the distant treeline.
And beyond that—
More forest.
More land.
A river curved along the far edge of the valley, glittering like silver through the trees.
Elara slowly walked forward.
"My father said it wasn't too large," she murmured.
I folded my arms.
"If this isn't large, I'm curious what he considers excessive."
Astra hopped from my shoulder onto the stone fence beside us and chirped loudly.
She spread her tiny wings toward the valley as if announcing her territory.
Elara laughed softly.
"I think she approves."
Astra jumped from the fence.
For a moment she actually glided.
Then she crashed into the grass.
I walked over and picked her up.
"You're not ready yet."
She chirped indignantly.
Elara walked past me toward the edge of the hill, looking down across the fields.
"The king didn't just give you a house," she said.
"No."
"He gave you land."
I nodded.
"And enough space for a wyvern to grow without burning down the capital."
Astra puffed up proudly in my hands.
"That was probably intentional," I said.
Elara smiled faintly.
"Yes. It probably was."
We spent the next hour walking through the estate.
The house itself was fully prepared. Someone had stocked the kitchen, cleaned the rooms, and even filled the stables.
Someone had moved very quickly to prepare everything.
"Elara," I said.
"Yes?"
"Your father works fast."
She laughed.
"You're only realizing that now?"
Astra hopped onto a balcony railing and began chirping aggressively at a flock of birds passing overhead.
One dove slightly.
Astra jumped to intercept it.
She missed.
And fell into a bush.
Elara sighed.
"We need to start training her."
"Yes."
"Before she learns to hunt on instinct."
"That would be preferable."
Astra climbed out of the bush and hopped proudly toward us as if nothing had happened.
Elara watched her for a moment.
Then she looked back at me.
"We should go see your parents."
I nodded.
"Yes."
"They deserve to hear this from you."
"And they should know the king gave their land away."
"That too."
The road to my parents' house hadn't changed.
Same uneven fence.
Same dirt path cutting through the grass toward the porch.
Same barn leaning slightly to the left because my father insisted fixing it was unnecessary.
Nothing about it suggested the land technically belonged to a noble house now.
Elara slowed beside me as we walked through the gate.
"You're calm," she said.
"I grew up here."
"That's not what I meant."
I glanced at her.
"You're nervous."
"…I'm meeting your parents."
"Yes."
"And they don't know me."
"That's about to change."
Before she could respond—
The door opened.
My mother stepped outside carrying a basket.
She froze.
The basket slipped from her hands and spilled across the porch.
"…Ren?"
I nodded.
"Yes."
She stared for a moment.
Then she ran.
"YOU IDIOT!"
Her arms wrapped around me hard enough that Astra squawked and jumped to Elara's shoulder.
"You just left three months ago!" she shouted.
"Three months!"
"I thought you weren't coming back until winter!"
"Plans changed."
She pulled back and grabbed my shoulders, inspecting me.
"You're thinner."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm not."
Her eyes narrowed.
"You're hurt."
"I'm not."
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
She stared at me another moment.
Then noticed Elara.
Her eyes narrowed.
"…you."
Elara froze.
"…me?"
"You're the girl."
Elara blinked.
"…what?"
"The one watching my house."
Silence.
Elara's face turned red.
"…I can explain."
"With the little rock creature in the trees."
"…that was a surveillance construct."
"Yes."
"I was protecting him."
"You were spying."
Ren sighed.
"Yes."
My father stepped out onto the porch behind her.
"What's all the—"
He stopped when he saw me.
His gaze moved to Elara.
Then Astra.
"…you brought a wyvern home."
Astra chirped proudly.
I shrugged.
"Yes."
He nodded once.
"Fair."
Then he stepped forward and placed a hand on my shoulder.
His grip tightened slightly.
"Congratulations," he said.
"For what?"
He glanced at Elara.
"You didn't come home with a noblewoman for nothing."
"…no."
He smiled faintly.
"I'm proud of you."
My mother suddenly pointed at Elara.
"You."
Elara straightened.
"…yes?"
"Inside."
"What?"
"We're talking."
Before Elara could protest my mother grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the house.
"Mom—"
"Stay out of this."
The door closed.
My father leaned against the porch railing.
"…that's going to take a while."
Elara sat stiffly at the kitchen table.
My mother set two cups of tea down.
Then stared.
"…so."
Elara swallowed.
"Yes."
"You've been watching my son through a rock golem."
"…that sounds worse when you say it like that."
"Because it is."
Elara cleared her throat.
"I was ensuring his safety."
My mother leaned forward.
"And now you're here."
"Yes."
"With him."
"Yes."
"And you brought a wyvern."
"Yes."
My mother nodded slowly.
"…good."
Elara blinked.
"…good?"
"You're clearly competent."
She folded her hands.
"So."
Her eyes sharpened.
"Tell me everything."
Elara blinked again.
"…everything?"
"How you met."
"How long you've liked him."
"And why my son suddenly showed up three months after leaving."
Elara hesitated.
Then said quietly,
"We're getting married."
My mother leaned back.
"…I knew it."
Then she froze.
"…wait."
"The king granted the Caelum name noble status."
Silence.
"…what."
"Ren didn't just become a noble."
"The entire Caelum name did."
My mother blinked slowly.
"…meaning."
"You and your husband are nobles now."
Another pause.
Then my mother stood.
Walked to the door.
Opened it.
And yelled outside.
"YOUR SON MADE US NOBLES!"
My father nodded calmly.
"…good for him."
Astra chirped proudly.
And just like that—
The Caelum family became a noble house.
The yard behind the house stretched toward the tree line where the forest began. Tall grass moved gently in the breeze, and the distant river could be heard rushing quietly through the valley.
Astra stood in the middle of the yard.
Puffed up.
Very proud of herself.
She had just successfully jumped from the porch railing to the fence without crashing.
It was her best landing so far.
My father watched her carefully, arms crossed.
"…she's going to hurt herself."
"Yes."
"And possibly someone else."
"Yes."
He scratched his beard thoughtfully.
"Well."
He stepped forward a few paces toward Astra.
"Predators don't learn by being told what to do."
I glanced at him.
"They learn by doing."
He nodded.
"And by watching."
Astra tilted her head toward him.
Then chirped.
My father crouched slightly and picked up a small stone from the ground.
He tossed it lightly into the air.
Astra's head snapped upward immediately.
The stone landed a few feet away.
She ran after it.
Pounced.
Missed.
Rolled twice.
Then popped back up like nothing had happened.
My father nodded.
"Good instincts."
"She has instincts," I said.
"She lacks coordination."
"That comes with time."
Astra picked up the stone and proudly carried it back to us.
Then dropped it at my feet.
"…I think she thinks that was hunting," I said.
"Close enough."
My father picked up the stone again.
"First thing you teach a predator," he said, tossing it again a little farther this time.
"Control."
Astra chased it again.
This time she managed to grab it mid-hop.
She chirped triumphantly.
"If she learns control," my father continued, "she won't panic when she misses."
Astra ran back and dropped the stone again.
"And if she doesn't panic," he added, "she won't hurt herself."
I nodded slightly.
"That makes sense."
My father looked at Astra again.
"…second thing."
He pointed toward the open fields.
"Territory."
Astra followed his finger.
The wind moved through the grass.
Birds passed overhead.
"Predators need space," he said.
"They need to understand what belongs to them."
He gestured toward the valley.
"Good thing you've got plenty of that now."
Astra chirped loudly.
Then jumped into the air.
For a moment—
She stayed airborne.
Three seconds.
Four.
Then she lost control and landed in the grass again.
I walked over and picked her up.
"You're improving."
She chirped proudly.
My father watched the two of us for a moment.
"…never thought I'd see my son training a wyvern in the backyard."
"Neither did I."
Inside the house—
Elara sat across from my mother at the kitchen table.
They had been talking for almost an hour.
Or more accurately—
My mother had been asking questions for an hour.
"…so when did you realize you liked him?"
Elara turned red again.
"I didn't realize it immediately."
My mother raised an eyebrow.
"You were watching him through a magic construct."
"…for security."
"Yes."
"And you kept watching."
"…yes."
"That sounds like interest to me."
Elara looked down into her tea.
Outside the window—
Ren walked across the yard with Astra perched on his arm.
The small wyvern chirped as his father tossed another stone into the grass.
Elara's eyes followed Ren without thinking.
My mother noticed immediately.
"…you love him."
Elara froze.
"…what?"
My mother smiled slightly.
"You've been watching him through that window for ten minutes."
Elara turned even redder.
"…I have not."
"You absolutely have."
Outside—
Astra jumped again.
Missed the stone.
And crashed directly into Ren's chest.
He caught her before she hit the ground.
Elara smiled before she realized she was doing it.
My mother leaned back in her chair.
"…yes."
She nodded knowingly.
"You definitely love him."
Elara buried her face in her hands.
"…this is humiliating."
Outside—
My father watched Astra wobble back onto Ren's shoulder.
"…you're going to need a lot more training."
I nodded.
"Yes."
Inside—
My mother smiled warmly at Elara.
"…but I'm glad it's you."
Elara slowly looked up.
"…really?"
"Yes."
She glanced out the window toward Ren.
"He's always been stubborn."
"Quiet."
"Too willing to carry everything alone."
She looked back at Elara.
"He needs someone who can stand beside him."
Elara followed her gaze again.
Ren stood in the field while Astra chirped excitedly beside him.
"…I plan to," she said quietly.
The sun had begun to dip toward the trees when my father finally straightened from the fence post he had been leaning on.
"Alright," he said.
I looked up from where Astra was perched on my forearm.
"Yes?"
"She's ready to try something real."
Astra chirped proudly.
My father nodded toward the forest line.
"We're going hunting."
Astra perked up instantly.
I raised an eyebrow.
"Hunting what."
"Something small."
He started walking toward the treeline.
"Enough to teach her the idea."
Astra jumped from my arm to my shoulder as we followed him into the forest.
The woods were quiet.
Familiar.
I had spent most of my childhood wandering these trees with my father. The same worn animal trails still wound between the trunks, and the same distant sounds echoed through the brush.
Astra's head moved constantly.
Every rustle.
Every bird.
Every movement in the grass.
She noticed everything.
"Good," my father murmured.
"She's alert."
He stopped near a patch of brush.
Then crouched.
"First rule," he said quietly.
"Don't rush."
Astra tilted her head.
My father pointed toward the bushes ahead.
"Prey always hears you first."
A rabbit moved faintly in the grass.
Astra's body immediately tensed.
Her wings spread slightly.
I held my hand out in front of her.
"Wait."
She chirped in protest.
My father nodded.
"She has the instinct."
"She needs the patience."
Astra's tail twitched.
The rabbit shifted again.
My father slowly reached down and picked up a small stick.
He tossed it lightly into the bushes to the side.
The rabbit bolted.
Astra exploded forward.
For a moment she almost caught it—
Then she tripped.
Rolled.
And the rabbit disappeared into the brush.
Astra chirped angrily.
I walked over and picked her up.
"You rushed."
She chirped louder.
My father chuckled.
"That's normal."
He crouched again and gently set Astra down.
"Try again."
They moved deeper into the woods.
This time when Astra spotted another rabbit she crouched lower.
Still.
Watching.
Waiting.
My father nodded quietly.
"Better."
The rabbit hopped once.
Twice.
Then Astra lunged.
This time—
She caught it.
Her tiny claws wrapped around it as she tumbled through the grass.
She chirped triumphantly.
My father stood and nodded once.
"…good."
Astra proudly carried the rabbit back toward us.
Meanwhile—
Back at the house—
Elara stood beside Ren's mother in the kitchen.
Vegetables were spread across the table, and a pot simmered slowly over the fire.
Elara carefully chopped carrots while Ren's mother prepared meat beside her.
"So," Ren's mother said casually.
"Yes?"
"How long have you been watching my son."
Elara almost cut the carrot crooked.
"…not long."
"That sounded like a lie."
"…a few months."
Ren's mother nodded knowingly.
"That's what I thought."
Elara sighed softly.
"I wasn't spying."
"You were absolutely spying."
"…for security."
"Yes."
Ren's mother glanced out the window.
Through the trees she could see Ren and his father returning from the forest.
Astra sat proudly on Ren's shoulder.
Something small hung from her mouth.
"…did they just teach a wyvern to hunt," she said.
Elara turned.
"…oh no."
Outside—
Astra proudly dropped the rabbit at my feet.
Then chirped loudly.
My father folded his arms.
"She learns fast."
"Yes."
"Soon she'll be hunting on her own."
Astra chirped again.
Very pleased with herself.
Inside—
Ren's mother shook her head slowly.
"Well."
"At least dinner is solved."
Elara stared through the window at Astra proudly standing over the rabbit like she had just conquered the world.
"…she's going to get very big."
Ren's mother smiled faintly.
"Yes."
"But I think she'll be in good hands."
Outside—
Astra chirped proudly again.
And the quiet valley of House Caelum felt a little more alive than it had that morning.
The house was quieter after dinner.
The sun had already dipped below the trees, leaving the valley bathed in the soft orange glow of dusk.
Dinner itself had been… loud.
My mother had asked Elara questions nonstop while my father occasionally added a comment or two from the other end of the table. Astra had spent most of the meal perched beside me, occasionally chirping whenever someone mentioned her name.
At one point she had tried to steal a piece of meat directly off my plate.
My father had approved of that decision.
Eventually the conversation slowed.
The dishes were cleared.
And the sky outside had turned dark.
My father leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.
"Well," he said.
"That was a productive day."
My mother nodded.
"My son came home early."
She pointed at Elara.
"He's getting married."
She gestured toward Astra.
"And we apparently own a wyvern now."
Astra chirped proudly.
My father looked at me.
"When are you heading back?"
"Tonight."
He nodded.
"Fair."
My mother frowned slightly.
"You're not staying?"
"We have a house to settle into."
She sighed.
"That's true."
Then she looked at Elara and smiled warmly.
"You're always welcome here."
Elara nodded politely.
"Thank you."
My mother stood and hugged her unexpectedly.
Elara stiffened in surprise.
"Take care of him," my mother said quietly.
Elara glanced at me briefly.
"…I will."
My father stepped outside with us as we walked toward the gate.
The night air was cool and calm.
Astra hopped onto my shoulder as we stopped near the road.
My father placed a hand on my shoulder again.
"Congratulations," he said once more.
"On everything."
"Thank you."
He nodded once.
"Your mother will probably start planning a wedding tomorrow."
"That sounds accurate."
He chuckled quietly.
Then stepped back toward the house.
"Don't disappear for another few months."
"I'll try."
Elara and I walked down the road together.
Astra hopped between our shoulders as we moved through the quiet valley.
The stars had begun to appear overhead.
For a while neither of us said anything.
Then Elara finally spoke.
"Your parents are wonderful."
"They are."
She smiled faintly.
"Your mother is terrifying."
"That too."
Astra chirped.
Elara laughed softly.
"I think Astra likes them too."
"She liked the food."
"That counts."
The lights of the Caelum estate slowly came into view as we reached the top of the hill.
The large house sat quietly beneath the moonlight, overlooking the valley below.
For the first time since leaving the capital, the world felt calm.
No nobles.
No politics.
No danger.
Just quiet land stretching into the night.
Elara stopped beside me at the edge of the hill.
"…this is really ours now."
"Yes."
She looked toward the house.
Then toward the valley.
"…we have a home."
Astra hopped from my shoulder to hers and chirped softly.
Elara scratched under her chin.
"Well," she said.
"I suppose we should start getting used to it."
We walked the rest of the way together beneath the stars.
And for once—
The future felt peaceful.