Between our hands

Chapter 24: Glimmer of Awakening and Shards of Joy.

The next morning, the first rays of sunlight slipped into Maëlle’s room, gently filtering through the drawn curtains and filling the space with a soft, golden glow. She woke slowly, her muscles still heavy from the comforting warmth of the sheets. She remained still for a moment, savoring the rare peace, her thoughts still wrapped in the haze of sleep. She stretched lazily before turning her head toward the window, watching the delicate patterns the light traced on the floor.

She finally got up, grabbing her satin robe that lay draped over a chair near the bed. The palace was quiet that morning, a calmness that felt almost soothing, as if the building itself was waking up slowly along with its occupants. As she slipped on her robe, a strange sound caught her attention. It was distant at first, then gradually grew louder, a mix of joyful voices and laughter breaking the tranquility of dawn. She frowned, wondering who could be making such noise at this hour.

Curious and slightly intrigued, she cautiously opened the door to her room. In the hallway, she now clearly heard familiar bursts of laughter. Her heart skipped a beat, her mind racing to understand what was happening. Those laughs—she would recognize them anywhere. They were etched into her memory, into every cell of her being. Those laughs reminded her of childhood memories, afternoons running through fields, evenings spent telling stories under the stars. Her brothers. It was them.

Without thinking further, she rushed out of her room, her bare feet slipping on the cold marble as she ran down the corridor, her robe trailing behind her. Her heart raced, a wave of contradictory emotions flooding over her. Were they really here? It seemed impossible... or at least unexpected. They were supposed to arrive later, she knew that. But she hoped so much that her ears weren’t deceiving her.

Reaching the grand hall, her eyes landed on two familiar silhouettes. Her brothers, Sacha and Daniel, stood there in the middle of the room, their faces lit up with beaming smiles. They stood proud and mischievous, as if they had never left her life, as if their presence was the most natural thing in the world. To them, nothing had changed, and this thought immediately warmed Maëlle’s heart.

“Surprise!” they exclaimed in unison, their voices full of playful mischief and contagious joy.

Maëlle felt her heart tighten, not with sadness, but with a happiness so pure and intense that she stood frozen in place, as if her body needed a moment to accept the reality. Her brothers, her lifelong companions, were here, earlier than expected. She looked at them, her eyes shining with emotion, and before she could even speak, she flung herself into their arms, hugging them with a desperate force, as if afraid they might disappear again.

Sacha, always himself, joked as he gently patted her back. “Hey, calm down, Maëlle! You’re going to break us if you hug that hard!”

Daniel let out a small laugh, adding humorously, “Yeah, we’re early, but it was Sacha’s best idea in a long time. We weren’t going to leave you alone here with Victor. You know you need us for entertainment!”

Their words were light and humorous, but for Maëlle, they carried a deeper meaning. Their arrival, though surprising, symbolized more than just a reunion. It was a silent promise that they would never let her face difficulties alone. An unwavering love, the kind that had marked their childhood, seemed to have traversed time and events to resurface stronger than ever.

She couldn’t hold back the tears welling up in her eyes, tears of relief and gratitude. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you...” Her voice cracked a little, but she didn’t try to hide her emotions. She didn’t need to with them.

Victor arrived at that moment, alerted by the noise in the hall, and a smile immediately spread across his face when he saw the two boys. He approached them, smiling, and greeted them with a brotherly hug. “You got here fast!” he laughed. “You did well. Maëlle needed this surprise.”

Sacha nodded with a grin. “Yeah, we know she’ll never admit it, but she can’t survive without us.”

“You’re an idiot,” Maëlle replied with a light laugh, her eyes still glistening. “But for once, you’re not entirely wrong.”

Their bond showed in every word, every glance. Their unique relationship, forged in moments of both joy and hardship, gave them the ability to understand each other without needing to say much. Being together, in this unfamiliar palace, brought a welcome sense of normalcy.

After the excitement of their reunion, Maëlle stepped back slightly from her brothers, taking a closer look at them. They hadn’t changed much since the last time she had seen them, but now that they were here, she realized just how much she had missed them. Simply having them close, feeling their reassuring presence, soothed an anxiety she hadn’t even realized she’d been carrying for days.

Sacha, always energetic and protective, gave her a look full of affection, while Daniel, more teasing, couldn’t help but lightly taunt her. “Come on, admit it, you missed us!”

Maëlle smiled, more in control of her emotions now. “Yes, a lot. You have no idea how much.”

Victor then suggested they take a tour of the palace, and they all set off, the brothers’ jokes and laughter echoing through the grand hallways of the palace. Their good mood was infectious, and even the normally stern bodyguards relaxed somewhat in the presence of the triplets' joyful energy.

As they wandered through the gardens, Sacha and Daniel couldn’t resist commenting on every detail, mixing admiration with humor. Their jokes echoed those of their childhood, when they would turn everything into a game, even the most mundane situations. Maëlle found herself laughing wholeheartedly, allowing herself to relax in this newfound lightness.

“Hey, do you think we can swim in that fountain?” Daniel asked, pointing to a large fountain at the center of the gardens, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

Victor burst out laughing, shaking his head. “Maybe not just yet. I doubt the king would appreciate us turning his palace into a water park.”

Their laughter mingled with the gentle sound of water trickling from the fountain, creating a symphony of simple but deep happiness. For Maëlle, this moment was precious. She felt herself coming alive again, as if her brothers' presence had dispelled the clouds that had weighed on her mind for days. Everything seemed brighter, lighter.

Lunch was another moment of shared joy. Seated around the large dining table, the triplets and Victor continued their light-hearted banter, delighted by this unexpected reunion. Even the king, usually more solemn, allowed himself to smile as he watched the brothers’ infectious energy.

When the king announced that, like Maëlle and Victor, Sacha and Daniel would now have their own bodyguards, the brothers’ excitement was palpable. The idea of having personal protectors didn’t intimidate them, quite the opposite. Daniel couldn’t help but say to Sacha, “We’re going to challenge them, you think they’re ready?”

Maëlle shook her head, laughing, happy to see her brothers integrating so easily into this new environment. Their light-hearted jokes, the simplicity of their exchanges, all brought a touch of love and warmth amid the uncertainties that still hung over their future.

As the afternoon wore on, Maëlle found herself alone with her brothers for a moment in a quieter corner of the palace. They sat on a bench, enjoying the silence that contrasted with their usual noisy conversations.

Sacha broke the silence, his voice softer, almost serious. “You know we’ll always be here, right, Maëlle? No matter what happens here, no matter what we discover... you’ll never be alone.”

Daniel nodded, his gaze resting on her with tenderness. “We’re triplets, after all. We stick together, no matter what.”

Maëlle felt her heart warm even more at those words. She knew that, no matter what happened, as long as they were together, nothing could truly hurt them.