The lunch went smoothly even with the unusual reaction of the family to Lilith's question. As the guests slowly walked towards the exit conversing and being escorted by the adults, Henry saw Lilith walking a few steps behind the group and approached her.
"Hey, we didn't get to talk earlier before the meal," he called to his new friend, but the girl didn't react. "Lilith?"
"Huh?" Lilith blinked and look at the boy beside her. "Oh. Sorry, just. . . got lost in thought for a moment."
"Are you alright? You've been acting weird since lunch," he said as he peered at her face with slight concern and curiosity.
"Nah, I'm good," Lilith waved off. "I was in bed really late last night so my thoughts are all out there, you know?"
The other nodded. "Who was that you mentioned earlier? Aurora? Is that another cousin of yours?"
"Ahahaha. . . wh-who?" Lilith laughed, eyes darting to the side to see her grandmother already looking straight at her.
"You mentioned her earlier. Is she also a family member? I don't think you ever pointed her to me yesterday."
"A-ah," Lilith scratched her head. "Well, she's my. . . you know? Sorry, I'm really so out of it today and I think I might not really remember what name I mentioned earlier and. . ." she's pretty much rambling whatever words came to her mind and it was obvious that Henry was getting more confused by the second. Lilith absolutely suck at lying, though, so he can only make the other turn on his head in nonesense. "Ah, look! I think your mom is calling you!"
They both look up and saw Miss Contance waving to her son. Henry caught up to her and the rest of the family waited until they're far before closing the door.
As soon as the shutting sound echoed, the cold tension that had been hanging since the question earlier weigh down on each family members. Lilith can even say that the heaviness somehow doubled after the guests left. They all wordlessly moved to stand in front of Annette Solerna as she stood four steps up the stairs.
"I think that the lunch went by successfully," the matriarch commented in a light voice, showing how pleased she was. " The words caused a small tide of reaction to the rest as their shoulders visibly relaxed.
"I do have some reservations with the suggestion of leaving town for a time to deal with all the formalities of solidifying our ties with their city, but I think it'll be a good opportunity for us to see how the outside world functions. Don't you all think?"
"I-I thought so, too, Grandmother," Luna replied. "I would also love to see how things look like outside the borders of our home, if it's all just how the books said they would look."
Annette smiled at the enthusiasm of her eldest grandchild. "Yes, you are right, my dear. It will give us enough idea on how to navigate through when the agreement finalizes."
Luna practically glowed at her grandmother's words.
"Lilith dear," she looked at her youngest grandchild. "What was it about your question earlier again? I'm afraid I didn't hear them clearly that time so I'm not sure what it was."
At once the tension came back down on them again. Lilith had her wide eyes up her grandmother. "I'm so sorry, Grandmother, I didn't know that--"
"Silly child," the old woman tutted. "I was merely asking you a question. You don't need to stutter and be nervous as if I would bite you."
Lilith blinked and smiled awkwardly. Annette shook her head fondly, "Come child, can you help me back to my room? I'm afraid my old bones are not how they used to be since my days."
Lilith quickly scrambled to her side, the two of them slowly walking up the steps until Lilith closed the room. It was then that Aula practically hissed as she rounded to Silona.
"Would it really be too much for you to watch where your own daughter goes?! Do you have any idea how big of a matter this is?!"
Silona whimpered at the sudden harsh words and moved to her husband's arms. Kasper rubbed her arm in a soothing matter while sending a piercing look to the other. "No need for such tone, sister-in-law. I don't think any of us could have realise that Lilith would find a way under the house." Aula's glare then turned to the man.
Seeing as the adults would most likely go out and have their fight again, Sol quickly pulled Luna by the arm, the two of them exiting the room.
"Ow, hey, stop pulling me!" the girl cried and pulled her arm from his grip. Sol raised both his arm in a placating manner. "What are they talking about there? Did Lilith did something?"
"Who knows," the other shrug. "I don't think they'll answer us even if we go ask them. They sure are more than willing to start a drama about it, though."
Luna huffed as they walked around the yard. It was a small garden patch that the three cousins planted as a project back when they were younger. It was one their favorite places to rest to get out of the drama. "What do you think Grandmother wants to talk about with Lilith?" Sol looked at her and noticed her gaze was in the direction of their grandmother's window. Despite the fact that Luna always get into fight with Lilith, he could see the obvious worry she had over their youngest cousin. He sighed again, this time sounding more sombre and serious.
"I don't know," he told her honestly. "I don't think Grandmother would do something to her. We all know that she's the favorite Solerna." Luna nodded absently, but her gaze didn't waver from the window's direction.
"Still though," Sol changing the subject as he turn and lean on the garden table. "The outside world, huh." He is honestly curious on how everything looks like outside the border of their town. But. . . "Do you really think it would work? This plan to join the world out there?"
"What do you mean?"
He shrugged again. "Do you ever want to get out? To be free from all of. . . these?"
Luna looked at Sol and took a seat at one of the empty chair, the pair of them looking at the blooming flower beds. The brilliant colors of each flower attracts the bees and other insects to their direction. One of the bee landed on the table close to Luna. She watched as it flapped its wings and groomed itself for a second before flying down to one of the bed. There was a beehive hanging on the closest tree to the garden, its branches reaching out and covering some of the flowers from the sweltering heat. Her father and uncles once tried to smoke them out of the gardens, but the bees kept coming back. It seemed that their queen refused to leave the premises of the garden.
But even with all the talk of visiting outside and seeing the world for the first time, it would still not change anything for them because. . .
"Yes," she finally answered her after some time. But she can't really get out of it, can she? Both of them can't. They're both Solerna. And all Solerna must bring their family first at all times.
Even with all the magical abilities and bloodline curse their family ever has, this, Luna thought, might be the greatest curse they had. And it's the reason why Lilith sometimes irritates her.
"Your brows are starting to blend again, cousin."
Luna glared at the amused Sol and marched away. "Keep feeling sour like that and you'll end up looking like a sixty-year-old lady!"
She paid him no mind as she walked out. If she can't escape this supposed garden life they want to project to the public, then she'll make sure that she''l be the best Solerna there ever was.
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Author's Note: Yeah, most of the things here are not planned at all. I was kinda writing through with my bullet-point flow for this story, but then this characters all went and have an internal crisis on their own. Though I do love how things seemed to flow out of the plans you initially plotted.
Anyway, if you enjoy this please don't forget to vote!