The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the sprawling countryside as the Kurogane family loaded into their Rolls-Royce once again. This time, their destination held a particular significance for Maria—Alaric's adoptive father's family. Though Maria and her husband had long been estranged from them, the occasion of Alaric's marriage had prompted her to extend an olive branch, one that carried both hope and apprehension.
Alaric sat beside his mother, noting her uncharacteristic silence. Normally confident and commanding, Maria seemed lost in thought as the car rumbled along the winding road. Lucy sat between Maria and Morgana, holding her mother's hand in an unspoken gesture of comfort.
"Mom," Alaric finally said, breaking the quiet. "Are you okay with this? Visiting Dad's family, I mean?"
