a gorgeous white by Heather_anare

266: Exposing joy

The white curtains layered the tall glass windows. Legs were swinging as a young girl sat at the edge of the wooden table. She was calm, yet a frown decorated her face. A pout on her lips. She seemed aware of the clutter on the table yet did not mind the mess. An hour, she has spent organizing the information the mages had given to. But although she was finished, she wished there was more to do.

Why was she stuck with a tedious job while her father gets to have an exciting one?

At last, a sigh escaped her lips, and she groaned in annoyance.

A pair of fluffy black cat ears perked up from her raven hair, and she paused. There was a red ribbon tied at the end of her tail, one that matched the red hairclip that held her bangs to the sides of her face. Her friend told her it would make it less of a bother.

Phuna's lips twitched. That reminded her. What was taking him so long?

"Phuna..."

A voice called, and the catgirl immediately perked up. She turned, beaming. "Father!"

The man who emerged from the doorways smiled faintly. He looked neater and less intimidating. However, the mysterious cold aura around him remained. Back when they were traveling, Varion didn't care if he wore unstitched clothing. There were times that he resorted to only tying a beast hide around his waist when the rest of his clothes were dirty. Phuna almost wanted to throw him off Nhetecra for it.

A few days have passed since they've arrived in Helios city. While Moulin was unconscious, they were allowed to dwell within the Three Towers as Moulin's companions. Not long after, they were designated to separate tasks they must perform if they wanted to stay. Varion snd Phuna already expected this. They were already lucky enough to enter the city, and every foreign person must take a job or be expelled.

They benefited greatly from being Moulin's companions. Being in the towers offered them various benefits. Phuna gets to work as with the mages while her father became one of the talented beast tamers in the district.

Seeing his daughter, the man approached her holding to mugs off hot chocolate.

"You really did get it! How?" There were stars in Phuna's eyes as she reached for her mug. Varion muttered a soft 'It's hot' before handing it to her. With a grin, Phuna chuckled as she blew the warm smoke from the mug. The sweet scent engulfed her senses, making her drool.

"Because your father is capable," Varion responded. He drank from his own cup. After making sure Phuna was carefully drinking, his eyes shifted to the papers spread all over the round wooden table. "You're finished?"

Phuna smiled as she nodded. "Uh-huh. Isn't you're daughter capable as well?"

Varion shook his head as she continued to chuckle.

Knock! Knock!

Two consecutive knocks sounded from the door. Both father and daughter paused and turned their attention.

With a creak, the door opened, and a red-headed girl entered the door nervously.

"Phuna?" She called. The girl hastily bowed as she greeted Phuna's father.

"Yeah?" Phuna recognized her friend. "What is it?"

"Someone is asking for you. I don't recognize them."

Blinking, the cat girl's ears drooped. Confusion filled her face as she glanced at her father. Varion nodded to her, and together they finished their drink and left the room. Their building wasn't far from the courtyard. They walked a couple of minutes before arriving.