INT. CROWN MANOR - LIBRARY - DAY
The warm, golden light of late morning filters through the tall arched windows of the Crown Manor library, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. The vast room, lined floor-to-ceiling with ancient tomes and scrolls, smells faintly of old paper and polished wood.
Elias stands proudly, his chest still puffed out, radiating confidence. Sara is still giggling, looking up at her brother with a mix of awe and renewed shyness. Seraphina and Siara share a laugh, their melodic voices intertwining.
Siara gently ruffle Elias's hair, " You truly are a marvel, little one. The most sought-after man in the whole Crown family already!"
Elias said with grinning , "And I will protect all of you! No one will make you sad ever again!"
Seraphina's smile is soft, a quiet understanding passing between her and her elder sister. She draws Elias close for another hug, feeling the fierce, utterly pure love radiating from her son.
"You are already doing that, my heart. Just by being you."
Siara rises fluidly, her movements graceful despite the practical attire. She offers a hand to Seraphina, who takes it, pulling herself up from the floor."Well, look at you, my dear sister. First time and Still enchanting the young men of our house. Sometime, I forget that you are my same sister who always been absolute cold towards all men."
Seraphina playfully rolls her eyes, a hint of her old mischievous self peeking through.
"And you, my dear sister, still teasing me about every little thing. Aren't you same. But some things never change."
Siara winked playfully and said,"Why should they? It keeps life interesting. Besides, someone has to keep your cold princess on her toes."
Sara, momentarily forgotten in the adult banter, tugs on Seraphina's skirt, her lower lip trembling slightly. "Mama, Elias promised to marry me too! If I say 'big brother'!"
Seraphina looks down at her daughter, her heart swelling with affection. "And what a wonderful big brother he will be, my sweet. But first, perhaps practice that important title?"
Sara's blush deepens. She looks at Elias, then away, kicking at an imaginary pebble on the ornate rug. Then with muttering, her voice barely looks like some whispher,"Big… bro…"
She dissolves into another fit of giggles, unable to properly form the words, her earlier shyness returning in a wave. Elias, ever the patient older sibling, simply smiles, a tolerant, almost paternal look on his small face.
Siara watches the children with a warmth in her grey eyes that softens her otherwise sharp features. She then turns to Seraphina, her expression subtly shifting, a flicker of concern shadowing her earlier amusement.
"They are growing up so fast, Sera. Almost too fast, don't you think? Especially Elias. He has such a… vibrant spirit about him."
Seraphina nods, a faint sigh escaping her lips. She glances at Elias, who is now attempting to teach Sara how to stand on one leg without falling – a feat he accomplishes with effortless balance.
He does. Sometimes I worry for him, for both of them. This life… it's not what I imagined when I was their age.
"None of us truly get the life we imagine, do we? But we make the best of it. And we protect what is ours. That's the Crown way." Siara said.
She pauses, her gaze sweeping over the library, lingering on a massive, intricately carved wooden door at the far end; a door usually kept locked.
"Which brings me to why I truly came, beyond charming my little husband. I received a summons this morning. From the Council of Elders."
Seraphina's bright smile instantly fades, replaced by a look of weary apprehension. The shift is palpable, the air in the library suddenly heavier.
Seraphine asked, "The Council? What about? Has there been another incident? Is it the borderlands again? Or the whispers from the Shadowed Peaks?"
Siara shakes her head, her braided black hair swaying gently. "No, nothing so immediate. Though the Shadowed Peaks always bear watching. This is… different. It concerns the upcoming Conclave. And something more specific. About… potential."
She lowers her voice, casting a quick glance at the children who are now engaged in a spirited game of chase around a large reading table.
"Awakening Ceremony is coming. All the children in Eldrathis coming towards Crown Estate in some day and also The four Kingdoms. And i heard that, this time Kings and Queens and high profile people are also coming personally. Because they want to see the awakening of Crown's future. They want see if new generation potential is really great. Is Heir really worthy to become ruler, Sera."
Seraphina in serious tone, "Awakening Ceremony? But… it's been generations since Crown family become original ruler of Eldrathis continent. Our family has been content to serve as advisors, as guardians of the knowledge, with wielders of raw power. So, why they want see their's awakening now?"
Siara's grey eyes hardening with a familiar resolve," Times change, little sister. The world grows darker, and the ancient protections weaken. The Council believes a new era is upon us. An era that will require more than just wisdom and diplomacy. It will require… a Ruler."
Elias, hearing the word "Ruler," momentarily stops his chase game. He looks up at his mother and aunt, his small face serious, as if he understands the gravity of the word, even if not its context. Sara, however, simply giggles and tugs him back into their game.
Seraphina walks over to a tall window, gazing out at the meticulously kept gardens beyond. The once-bright morning seems to have lost some of its luster.
"A Ruler. They always speak in such grand, ominous terms. But why now only? And what exactly they want see? A general shift, or something… precise?"
Siara approaches her sister, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Her expression is grim.
"They wouldn't say explicitly over the telepathic link, but the urgency in their tone was unmistakable. They spoke of the 'Child of Death'."