Core

Glass; Shattered

Caelum had picked up a bag of apples along the way as he made his way home, biting into one with a scowl. He was absolutely annoyed by the leader of the army troop. That short, bearded man and his irritating stupid accent. While it wasn't the first time he had saw the man, but it was the first time he had personally talked to him, and it was the worst moment of his life. Not to mention that the look on the man was very revolting.

The ginger shuddered, wanted nothing but to bath in holy water or something. (It was surprising for him, seeing that it had been years since he last stepped into the church, neither had he prayed to the god that everyone believed.)

He shook his head and sighed in relief when he arrived. "I'm home." He murmured, closing the door behind him. He took pulled the cloak off with one hand and went straight to the fruit basket on the dining table, placing the apples in it carefully.

"Welcome back, Caelum." His mother, who was knitting in the living room greeted. "So, did you asked Azura?" She asked excitedly as she paused her work. Caelum resisted the urge to roll his eyes and nodded. "Yes, she'll be coming tomorrow." He smiled when she cheered and started wondering what she should cook tomorrow. Honestly, his mother was a tad bit too excited. Azura wouldn't even arrive until the next day.

He couldn't blame her though. After all, she had been the happiest of her life ever since he introduced Azura to her. He was glad that she was happy. Eleanor giggled at their mother's behavior as she came down from upstairs, her stomach bulging over the month.

"She're really excited to have another family member, so it seemed." Caelum agreed, though his smile turned a little strained as he went over to help his pregnant sister. She simply brushed him off, not liking anyone trying to help her. No matter how much she tried to stop them, it didn't really make much different and they would simply kept up the fussing. Goodness, she wasn't even crippled! She was just carrying another life.

Caelum knew how she disliked it and merely stood by the side, making sure that she wouldn't fall.

"Lucien and Colette should have arrived at her parents' house." Their mother mused. "Hopefully their trip was smooth. Leo cries a lot in bumpy rides." The siblings exchanged a look when they realized that their mother was talking more to herself rather than to them. They smiled.

"It'll be alright, mother. Mark's with them after all." (Mark, Eleanor's husband, had tagged along with Lucien and Colette and their four-year-old son. He had wanted to visit his parents as well, so it seemed. Colette and Mark came from the same village after all. It was funny how things work, seeing that Colette and Mark were actually their village's sweethearts. Though, Mark had left for the capital a few years before meeting Eleanor and reuniting with Colette again.

It was hilarious, and a bit awkward for Caelum, for some reason.)

Caelum decided to leave them both with their conversation and went to the back of the house, finding his father staring at sky, brooding. It was quite rare to see him brood.

"Father." He greeted, announcing his presence. The man turned to his youngest son with a small smile. "Ah, you're back. Welcome home. How's your day?"

"Hectic, but it's alright." He replied, deciding to leave out his recruitment to the army. "You?" His father chuckled as he took a seat beside him on the bench they had placed there. "Your mother was been insufferable. My back is fine and she was adamant on making me stay put and rest the whole day. She didn't even let me help her with housework! I felt weird not doing anything at all."

"She's just worried." His father sighed in fake exasperation, smiling. Whenever one of them fell sick or injured themselves, Caelum's mother would always fuss over them. Caelum knew this very well and had experience more than that. She nagged him a lot about certain things. And him going to the meadows. She always seemed to knew when he went there no matter how hard Caelum tried to hide it. (It certainly doesn't help when he can't exactly lie to her.) Caelum copied his father's sigh as they exchanged similar looks.