the books of hidden worlds

chapter twenty: Kian

   
    The next morning, as soon as I woke up, I stepped out of my room and saw Lucan and Cassian making bread together.

"Hi, good morning... have you seen Rowan?"

"He's outside," Cassian replied.

"Alright, I’ll head out then," I said.

"Take care," Lucan called after me.

As I stepped outside, I saw the others already engaged in practice. Kevin and Peter were sparring, while Salem was teaching Alden how to cast a spell. Dorian was training Elias in archery, and Evander was seated beneath a tree, sketching something. Orion, meanwhile, was gathering herbs for a poison he was preparing.

Then, I spotted Rowan painting a flower—a white rose.

"What does that white rose mean?" I asked, startling him.

"You scared me, Kian!"

"Sorry! I’ve been calling you for a while now."

"Well," Rowan began, regaining his composure, "the white rose symbolizes purity, youthfulness, and innocence."

"Hmm... Why are you painting? Trying to learn a new spell like Elias, who’s being taught by Dorian?"

"I guess so. I think I'll learn it eventually, when I have nothing else to do. I don’t want to get bored, so I paint."

"Speaking of which, what was your dream about yesterday morning?" I asked, causing him to pause mid-brushstroke.

"It was dark all around... It seems like you and Elias had the same dream."

"Yes, you're right. I couldn’t see the woman’s face either. She strangled me, then pushed me off a cliff. But before that, she choked me until I couldn’t breathe."

"Why were you near the cliff? What were you doing there?"

"I don’t know," Rowan admitted, "all I remember is that I was searching for Mother, and I screamed for her."

"Breakfast is ready, come eat!" Lucan called from inside.

"Let’s go," I said, offering him my hand. He smiled at me and took it.

Everyone went inside, and Cassian announced, "Hot chocolate for everyone!" while Lucan placed two baskets of freshly baked bread on the table.
                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ursula and Esmeralda were happily baking bread together, preparing their meal for the day. Soon, the bread and dishes they made were ready.

"Taste it!" Esmeralda urged, offering a bite to Ursula.

"Hmm, of course it’s good, I made it!" Ursula teased, and the sisters burst into laughter. Esmeralda loved the color green, and she had a passion for baking bread and archery. Ursula, on the other hand, adored the color brown, enjoyed drawing, and was skilled in combat.

Years passed, and by the time Ursula turned 23 and Esmeralda was 21, Esmeralda had married, and she having three son's, But after giving birth to their child, Esmeralda tragically passed away.

When Ursula heard the news of her sister’s death, she rushed to her sister’s home, where she found Esmeralda’s children.

"Auntie!" Lucan cried, running toward her. "How are you? Did you miss me?" He beamed as Ursula lifted him into her arms.

"Of course I did, my dear Lucan. I brought some bread with me. Salem, fetch the basket, quickly," Ursula said with a smile.

"Yes, Auntie!" Salem replied, grabbing the basket filled with bread.