By the time the sun rose, painting the valley in shades of gold and rose, the keep was alive with gentle commotion. Servants moved with practiced grace, preparing meals and tending fires, unaware that a new life had taken root within the house. Mariel moved about the morning quietly, carrying herself with an elegance that only a woman of her station possessed. Her belly was slightly rounded now, a secret known only to Edric and the closest members of their household.
Seraphine, the eldest, paused in the great hall to watch her mother, her violet eyes reflecting both admiration and curiosity. "Mother," she asked softly, "will we have another brother or sister soon?"
Mariel smiled, a secretive curl of her lips. "Patience, my child. All things come in their time." She patted Seraphine's hand gently, and then moved to the hearth, stirring the coals.
Liora, two years younger, leaned against the wall with a mischievous grin. "I hope it's a brother," she said. "Someone to play with me in the gardens, someone to ride the hills with when we grow older."
Edric entered the hall then, his presence commanding yet gentle. "Whether brother or sister," he said, his deep voice filling the space, "our family is complete. Nine strong, and soon to be ten. We are rich beyond measure, for love is the wealth that lasts."
The children laughed, unaware of the weight of legacy their father spoke of. For now, they knew only warmth, security, and the laughter that filled the halls of Greyholt.