A new day had come, and the sun welcomed Lanthim, so he rose to meet the day. The sun was shining on his face as he lay sleeping. A slight breeze blew, allowing, even more, of the sun through. Slowly as he moved about his bed, the door to his apartments quietly opened. Felyma had come to prepare him for breakfast, with his morning attire in one hand and a brush in the other. She seemed ready for some serious work.
"May I ask what you intend to do with that?" [Lanthim]
He asked, looking at her with a light smile.
"Your mother has asked that you take breakfast with her this morning. I have come to make sure you are presentable." [Felyma]
Felyma quietly stood, waiting for her master to leave his bed, Lanthim on the other hand, was content with just sitting where he was. Nice as it sounded his mother with all of her teachings. Had not allowed her to have a meal with him.
For as long as he could remember, he had always eaten alone with either Milty or Felyma. He did not mind the separation. It had helped him learn what he had about mana and magic before having it sealed away.
"Mother must have something she would like to talk about, asking this so suddenly." [Lanthim]
Said Lanthim, not moving from his place on the bed. As he thought about any other, meaning there might be, he was plucked off his bed.
"Hey! What do you think you are doing?" [Lanthim]
Lanthim exclaimed as Felyma planted him on the floor, right in front of the room's only mirror and started working. After cleaning up, Lanthim alone made his way to a small parlour that his mother used most mornings for teaching or meals.
Very rarely had he found a reason to be in this part of the house. Usually, he would play with some servants that worked under Milty. Arriving at his required location, he looked at the door, thinking to himself.
'Damn! This is inconvenient. I was going to have Milty try to get me out of the house today.' {Lanthim}
Staring at the door, not wanting to even think of opening it himself. Noticing the door nob move slightly, he quickly removed himself from any chance of being hit by the door. A young girl not three years older than him by his eyes came out of the parlour where he was to meet his mother.
Looking around, she seemed to be looking for something. It could have been he did not know. Then she looked in Lanthim's direction, and with a surprised voice looking back into the parlour spoke.
"Mother, he is here."
Lanthim stared at this girl, surprise now on both of their faces.
"Lanthim quickly! The food will not stay warm for long."
A voice he did not know beckoned him to enter. Then, again what this girl had said surprised him so much, he did not know what to think about his current situation. Entering, the parlour slowly and peering into the room to see what else could be there. He could see that a meal had been prepared, it seemed that there were more people here than he expected.
"A so Felyma was able to get you out of bed without you causing too much fuss." [Litralia]
Litralia spoke with a smile Lanthim could now see why the servant had acted so willfully earlier.
Looking about as he moved around the room, he thought to himself that there were more witches present than he had ever seen in all his life. True, at the testing, there had been a group of witches. But there were, at least, twenty people present at the moment.
Then he noticed something he had not when he had entered. The clan crest was worn to distinguish clan identity. Aside from a few who wore their crest off their right shoulder.
They have married everyone else was unmarried. His mother sat in the middle of the group she was talking to a person that looked similar to her.
"Lanthim, you are here, come I will introduce you to everyone here."
She seemed excited by the idea, making her way to where he was standing. The room seemed much bigger when everyone cleared the center of the parlour, with Lanthim in the middle feeling really small.
"It has been a long time since all of you have had the opportunity to return home. Due to circumstances that were beyond our control, Now I am happy to introduce all of you to your little brother Lanthim Frenost."
The whole room just looked at him. The shock he felt left him unable to speak. All of these people, his sisters really, just looking around the room. He could note twenty in total. He knew that it was impossible for his mother, who had to be at least in her late thirties to have so many children.
"Little brother, you okay?"
The girl he saw outside asked him, looking concerned.
"Yes, I am fine." [Lanthim]
He answered, looking to the girl who had spoken. Now that he looked, he could notice traces of Litralia, his mother, in her face, and it felt unsettling. This development was not what he had expected for as long as he could remember. The idea that he was an only child felt right.
"You seemed confused, Lanthim. What is it that bothers you."
One of the older women in the room asked, kneeling in front of him and looking him in the eyes.
"I had no idea that I had any sisters until now. I don't know what else to say." [Lanthim]
His words touched everyone. He looked his age for that moment.
"You do not need to feel confused, Lanthim. Now we are here to eat breakfast and get to know each other better."
She attempted to alleviate some of his concern, extending her hand to him, but the room became silent. Would he take it? He did not think she would hurt him, but her smile was not something he felt he could trust.
"Sister, if I may ask, how old are you?"
Lanthim aimed a dangerous question. He could feel the entire room freeze for an instant.
'Ah! Yeah, I stepped into that one.' {Lanthim}
He spoke to himself, looking now at the floor while it was true. That all his now sisters looked young, almost too young to his eyes. He felt he needed to know this simple question.
"I will not satisfy your question, with an answer at this time now we eat."
Her response was as quick as her hand that grabbed him. Making sure not to resist, she had him sit next to her at the table. As the meal progressed and the number of dishes became less and less, eventually, the group moved to the gardens outside. The mood was peaceful with everyone together like this Lanthim truly felt like this was his family.