Third Person's POV
Gena sparred against Sena and Sera. Sena won but a landfall, which was to be expected for her, but Gena was the first to be eliminated in the fight which left her in shock. When the fight was finished, Gena tried to talk to them, but they declined and watched the others' spar.
When lunch was ready when they were finished. The twins immediately skipped to their grandmother's side happily. They sat on the other side of her table and ate silently. Gena watched from by the fire where she held a bowl of rabbit soup.
She was curious if they were actually like this or if they were repressing themselves in front of their grandmother. She didn't have to wait long to get the answer to her question.
"So. How was it?" Opal asked after the twins finished eating. "It was fun." Sera smiled. "I actually had to show some restraint." Opal laughed softly. "You're happy you had to show restraint?" Sera nodded.
"Think about it, Grandmother. Older sister is the strongest of us, but she's never gone easy on us. That pushed me to my limit and every time we spar, I feel sore. Now I'm not sore." Opal reached out and pinched her cheek.
"You make it sound like the child is weak." Sera grinned. "She's not but I'm not sore so it's all good." Sena shook her head as if Sera was a misbehaving child. "You really just talk however you feel like with grandmother, don't you?" Sera nudged her sister.
"Of course. She's my beloved grandmother and just for that comment, I'm sleeping with her tonight." Sena glared at her. "Don't you dare." Sera laughed. "I will dare and there's nothing you can do about it."
Sena reached out to grab Sera, but she saw it coming and moved around the table quickly. "See? Nothing you can do." Sera kissed Opal's cheek and smiled at her sister. "Grandmother didn't deny it." Opal laughed.
"You'll be disappointed sister." A small voice came from behind Sera. Sera turned to look at her young siblings. "About what?" The boy smiled smugly. "The five of us are sleeping with grandmother tonight, we asked her two nights ago and she agreed." Sera glared at him.
"You really want to fight with me?" The boy huffed at her words. "You're already old enough to sleep on your own. You can't fight us small children." Sera turned to look at Sena only to see her smirking at her. Sera turned to her grandmother. "Grandmother, is this true?"
Opal just patted her cheek gently. "Grandmother~~~" Sera wanted to protest but couldn't. "You'll really fight your siblings?" Kain asked her, trying to suppress his laughter. Sera turned to the five small children.
"Let's fight then."
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Two months later, the combined group reached the last town before the Capital. They took over an inn in the morning when they arrived. Opal was sitting in the back yard of the inn when Gena approached her.
This was the only time Opal was on her own in the past few months they travelled together. Gena had been watching them interact, up close and from afar. Now, she wanted to talk with Opal on her own.
She bowed. "Madam. I would like to speak with you." Dasa appeared with a stool and placed it next to Opal before blending into the shadows. Gena took that as an invitation and sat down. "What is it that you wish to ask?" Opal asked her before taking a sip of wine.
"How did you cultivate such a relationship with your children and grandchildren?" Opal smiled. "By choosing them." Her answer didn't solve any questions Gena had. "A few days before my father died, he told me about a woman he met in the war. A woman whom he feared but also respected. Her name was also Opal."
"Hm." Opal took another sip of her wine. "Did you know my mother?" Opal paused and then looked at Gena. "No." Gena smiled. "Can you make me your granddaughter? I want a grandmother like you." Opal chuckled. "Why not mother? Then you'll have the upper hand against the twins."
Gena eyes lit up. "Really?" Opal chuckled. "We'll see how you behave first."
Yet another young lady floated around Opal from that day onward, but she stayed with Varin and Soria instead of the twins. She clearly took the daughter role seriously. However, with her age, she was more suitable as a daughter rather than a granddaughter.
"Your precious niece has been poached away." Lyria said as she sat next to her husband at dinner. They sat on the other side of the first floor, watching Opal's group. Their side seemed more lively and brighter.
Elira was on that side as well, quietly speaking with Opal from time to time. Varin and Soria gave her some respect that one would give elders, while Rain and Kain barely interacted with her.
"It's been a few years since she's been this free. So, let her." Melire replied. He didn't mind it. He could now focus on other things, like what will happen when they arrive in the Capital with Ojun.
"Uncle!" Gena walked over with a smile on her face. "Varin and Soria invited me to stay at the mansion when we arrive in the capital tomorrow. Can I?" Melire looked up at her and he smiled. "Did you ask your aunt?" Gena nodded.
"She said it was okay and then told me to ask you." Melire nodded. "You can but don't cause trouble." Gena rushed around the table to him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you!" She rushed back over to the other side.
"This feels so familiar." He mumbled as he looked at Opal's group. Opal was in the center, and they seemed to have formed rings around her. The children were all talking and laughing while eating. The adults were finished eating and were drinking. The servants were eating in turns.
The door to the inn suddenly opened and a man stepped in. He walked straight to Rain, whispered in his ear and then stepped back. Rain put down his wine and stood up. Everyone noticed it but the mood didn't plummet. Kain stood as well and followed his brother out.
Melire stood and followed them out. "Is something wrong?" He asked the brothers as he stepped out. "The Lino Kingdom Caravan is approaching the town. They sent people ahead to ask if there is lodging." Rain replied.
"There isn't any other inn here." Melire stated and Kain glanced at him as he had stated the obvious. "That's not the problem. The problem is that they aren't taking no for an answer." The man who reported to Rain stated calmly, acting as a buffer between them.
"We can spare two rooms." They all turned to see Varin standing in the doorway. "This is what mother said." She explained. Rain nodded. "You heard my mother." The man bowed. "I'll go right away." Kain grabbed his shoulder. "Let them know that the entire inn only has our people. They will have to cook their own food, using their own ingredients."