Page 225 of Moonlit Fate

Five years. Five years since everything had almost ended, since the land beneath us had been soaked in blood and desperation. No one would be lighting candles or laying flowers today. Instead, we celebrated life—theirs most of all.

“Look at us, Daddy! We’re flying!” Caelan pulled me back from the edge of my thoughts, his face split into a wide grin.

“Like birds, huh?” I said, smiling despite the tightness in my chest.

“Like dragons!” Elara corrected with a giggle, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Dragons it is, then,” I conceded, watching them soar.

The sun was warm on my face, and the rhythmic creak of the swing lulled me. Today wasn’t about looking back; it was about what we had now, what we’d fought for—peace, a chance for these children to grow up without the shadow of war hanging over their heads.

“Time to slow down, you two,” I announced after a while, catching the swing gently to bring it to a stop. They pouted a little, but the promise of later adventures was enough to coax them off.

“Can we explore the woods later?” Caelan asked, bouncing on his toes.

“Maybe after the feast,” I told him, ruffling his hair. “We’ve got a big night ahead.”

“Yay!” They cheered in unison, grabbing each other’s hands and spinning around in wild dance.

I watched them dance. This was our victory, our future. Nothing, not the ghosts of the past nor the uncertainty of tomorrow, could take that away from us.

Aria stepped up beside me, her silhouette melding with the hill’s gentle slope. The breeze whipped through her hair, teasing a few strands out of the loose tie at the back of her head. Her face softened as she watched Elara and Caelan, those rare silver eyes of hers shining with all the love in the world.

“Hard to believe it’s been five years,” I said.

She slid her hand into mine, and I relished the touch that had become my anchor. “Five years of peace,” Aria said, her thumb tracing small circles on the back of my hand. She nodded toward Elara and Caelan who were still dancing.

“Five years of us, of them,” she added, eyes never leaving the sight of our children laughing.

I chuckled. “Peace,” I said, still watching her. The word meant more than just a world without war; it was the calm that had resided inside me since our lives had intertwined.

We turned our backs to the hill, the swing now still behind us, and started toward the manor. The structure stood proud yet unassuming, merging with the surrounding nature. I could hear the clatter of pots and pans as the cooks prepared for tonight’s feast.

“Look, Daddy, my shadow puppets are coming with us,” Elara called out. I glanced over my shoulder to see a procession of shadows trailing after her. There was a fox, its tail bushy and full, playfully nipping at the heels of a butterfly that fluttered close to the ground.

“Very clever,” I said, watching as she guided them with flicks of her hands. Those shadow creatures danced to her tune, almost as if they were alive. It warmed me to see her wield the gift with such joy.

“Look, Mama, I made a leaf storm.” Caelan laughed, excited with the thrill of his discovery. He waved his arms, sending swirls of leaves dancing around him.

“It’s beautiful!” Aria praised, clapping her hands together. Her eyes sparkled with pride as she watched our son master his own gift of nature.

Aria bent, her fingers brushing against a wildflower. She plucked it gently from the ground and moved behind Elara, sliding the flower behind her ear. “There, now you’re as pretty as the meadows,” she said softly.

I watched them, my chest tight with something like joy, or maybe pride. “We did good, didn’t we?” I asked.

“Better than good,” Aria said, her eyes fixed on our kids. “We made a new path.”

“Nothing like what we had,” I murmured.

“Exactly. They’ll know love, laughter...freedom.”

“Everything we didn’t have,” I added. The shadows of our past seemed so distant now, almost like they belonged to someone else.

We settled the twins down for a nap, then tiptoed through the house and out into the garden. It was a space that mirrored us, wildflowers alongside carefully tended rows, herbs and vegetables in harmony.

“Every plant, every flower... it’s a part of us.” Aria’s hand brushed over a lavender sprig.

“Feels like forever since we started this,” I commented, picking a leaf and crushing it between my fingers, releasing its scent.

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