She hummed softly to the rythm of the wind and the cackling fire while looking at her mother cook for the whole family while she rocked her little sister back and forth. Her mother turned around and swished her hand in a circular motion for the lid to close the pot and smiled sweetly at the sight of her children.
"Oh Hannah, what would I do without you" she said taking Kyla from her elder daughter's hand.
"You take good care of us mama, there is not a reason why I cannot be of help to you" earning yet another bright smile from her mother who swindled the sleeping Kyla to her shoulders before patting Hannah's fiery red hair fondly.
"You are still young Hannah but I feel like you're my older sister already. You must try to make friends and do things with people your own age than be stuck with me in the house doing house chores, it is fine for a wife like me but not for a very young lady like you" Adela tried to reason with her overly responsible daughter.
"Mom please" she shyed away from her mother knowing full well the end of this conversation.
"Don't you love what me and your father have?" Adela tried again only to have her daughter cover her face with both her small hands.
"Oh but mama you know I adore how you both are affectionate towards each other. It's simply because you're a beautiful woman that papa can't help himself" she smiled looking at her mother who was now trying to hide her blush from her daughter's sharp eyes.
"Okay . . . but you are also a beautiful young women Hannah. There is no reason why you should not go out and meet eligible young man out there" she brushed her shoulder before going out to place Kayla in their room.
"Mama, papa is almost here. Are we done preparing his food?" she asked her mother who had just returned from putting Kayla down to find Hannah already preparing to dish up in the little table infront of her father's chair.
"Hannah, you know your father likes it when I prepare his table. Please light up the lamp, its going to get dark soon" she took to prepare her husband's table and dusted the chair before his arrival. She turned around in time to find Hannah snap her fingers to light up the renewed lamp. She made a scolding face to receive a sheepish smile from her daughter
"I didn't do anything mama" she even made a puppy face to dilute her mother's disheartened scolding.
"You know your father is not going to be as lenient if he finds out right?" she showed signs of just how much her daughter's manipulative tactics get to her but still tried to let the message get across just fine.
"If I find out what" Melcan's bulging frame filled up the doorway just as he lowered his head to fit in the door so he can enter. Both the women were caught offguard albeit knowing he was on his way back.
"My very strong and beautiful papa is back" Hannah made a short dash to hug her father who was already aware that her daughter is trying to side track his question.
He grinned brightly at the touch of his daughter's hands around his rib cage which was as high as she could go to avoid facing him at eye level.
"Hannah my beautiful offspring, if males are beautiful then what of females? Not to mention my former question is still unanswered" he embraced her by ruffling her fiery red hair with his unoccupied hand.
He cocked his head to the side to look at his fated half for an answer when he realised Hannah was almost glued to him to avoid answering him.
"Welcome home husband . . . I have prepared your favourite meal. Please sit" Adela also made the subtle move to avoid the question, knowing she could never lie to her fated half.
Melcan hummed softly with the timely assault of his favourable soup meal breezing through his nostrils making his mouth water. His wife smiled knowingly at him before sharing a look with her daughter for dragging her into this. Hannah grinned at her mother who seemed to say "now your father thinks I'm in a conspiracy about him with you" which she clearly wasn't so Hannah made a mental note to apologise to her mother before retiring to bed for the night.
"Kayla fell asleep before I came back home?" Melcan asked his wife while licking away at his fingers before pointing to the bundle next to him which his wife took to the makeshift table to prepare it for hanging so it can dry out until sunrise
"I just put her to bed not so long ago. I have to go and get her for her meal before it goes cold" Adela replied to her husband before rinsing her hands on the basin before stepping out of the kitchen.
"How was the hunt papa" Hannah asked her father who took longer than usual to return from the neighbouring forest where the males go to hunt.
"It was okay Hannah. We decided to clean ourselves in the neighbouring river seeing that we were already late for coming back and returning to the steam for a bathe"
"Oh but papa . . . Why do you insist on taking your bathe in the wilderness when I can prepare a warm one for you here"
At this, Melcan smiled looking at his considerate and gentle older daughter. She is caring and makes a parent prideful but that is not how things work in the society.
"You will understand once you grow old and get a husband my dear Hannah"
She knew that was her que to start dishing up for the rest of the family now that her papa was done eating. She took her father's plate to clean it just as her mother entered, followed by Kyla whose drowsy eyes lit up as soon as she saw her father
"Papa" she squealed while jumping to her father's leg to embrace him too. Melcan felt contented seeing his family under one roof like this. It gave him purpose and a sense of stability as a man. Emotions than came unbidden to his wife who also sighed in contentment.
The lights flickered in the house and Hannah stood alert sensing an oncoming presence that she couldn't quite decipher but as it neared, her alarmed ocean blue eyes flashed with danger. She looked to her mother who must've sensed the danger quite a bit later than her who called her to her side.
They held each other's hands while chanting spells of protection. The air in the house became stiffling before it started getting hot.
"Mama" Kayla's squeaky voice sounded shaken.
"Shhhh" Adela said placing one hand on her daughter's head who quietly fell asleep on her father's lap.
"Hannah" her mother called to her daughter whos focus had been stolen by the pressure exerted by fear and the inevitable danger exuded by whatever was outside.
"I need you to listen to me okay . . . I need you to take your sister and go as farvaway from here as possible" she smiled affectionately at her children before looking at her fated half, already knowing he was not going to leave her here alone.
He nodded curtly.
"Nomatter what happens Hannah, do not turn back. We will meet you at the Shadow Valley before sunrise" Adela spoke as quickly as she could without alerting her daughter whom she was sure that she's well aware of the gravity of the danger they are faced with.
Hannah took her sleeping sibling and made way to the entrance of the dimly lit room. She walked out of the house, took a fleeting glance at the surroundings before she dashed to the darkness