The door creaked open to reveal Aria rushing down the hallway with her arms outstretched.
"Welcome home!" she chirped, grabbing onto Liora's waist first, then hugging Tessa's side with a bright smile.
"We missed you, too, little star," Liora said, ruffling her hair with one hand while balancing the groceries in the other. "Come help us unpack."
Aria was all too eager, grabbing the smaller bag and carrying it proudly to the kitchen like it weighed more than it did. Liora chuckled, watching her march off like a serious little helper.
As Liora began preparing dinner, sautéing vegetables, boiling noodles, and roasting a small slab of seasoned meat, Tessa disappeared into the bedroom for a moment. She returned with the tiny cloth-wrapped parcel from earlier tucked behind her back.
Aria was sitting at the low table now, swinging her legs as she waited for dinner, humming softly. Tessa approached and knelt beside her.
"Aria," she said quietly, "I… I saw something today that made me think of you."
Aria tilted her head. "Huh?"
Tessa brought the small parcel around and gently placed it in Aria's lap. "Here. It's a gift."
The little girl blinked, then carefully opened the cloth. Her hazel eyes widened as the silver star-shaped hairpin gleamed under the lantern light.
"It's so pretty…" she whispered, gently touching the delicate carving.
"I thought it looked like you," Tessa said, smiling shyly. "Bright, and always shining."
Aria stood up and threw her arms around Tessa. "Thank you, big sis!"
Liora turned from the kitchen, smiling softly at the scene. Her little family… it had grown so much in a year.
Dinner was filled with laughter and warmth. Aria wore the pin in her hair proudly, sitting between Tessa and Liora as they shared stories of the market and their new family name. The food was simple but rich in flavor, the way only a home-cooked meal could be.
Later, when Aria had finished eating and was curling up near the small hearth with a full belly and sleepy eyes, Liora sat quietly at the table, watching the firelight flicker across the wooden walls of their new home.
Tessa noticed her thoughtful expression. "Something on your mind?"
Liora nodded slightly. "Aria. She's eight now… and I've been thinking. Maybe it's time she started learning. Reading, numbers… the basics."
Tessa's smile returned, gentle and proud. "You'd get her a tutor?"
"If I can find a good one," Liora said. "She's smart. I don't want her to fall behind just because I took her in. I want her to have… options. A good life."
"You're already giving her that," Tessa said.
Liora looked over at her. "We are."
They sat in silence a while longer, the sounds of the crackling hearth and Aria's soft breathing filling the room. When bedtime came, Liora carried Aria to her room, tucking her in gently. Tessa said goodnight and went to her own room.
Liora stood a while longer, looking out the small window toward the moonlit village.
Tomorrow, she thought, I'll ask around the guild. Someone must know of a good tutor.
With that, she closed the curtains and went to sleep, the gentle comfort of her growing family wrapped around her like a blanket.