So there are still no changes today?
"None, madam. We are scheduled to check on her again in an hour."
Selene Vael'thir nodded slowly after hearing the words of Magnus, the castle's head butler.
Magnus was a very ancient dark elf who had been present since Selene was a child and was almost always by her side.
He wore a typical black butler's suit with a golden handkerchief in the breast pocket.
He had a finely trimmed white beard, a severe yet attractive face, and pointed ears that stood out from his carefully combed white hair.
Two days ago, Selene's only daughter, Seraphina, collapsed, and her condition worsened.
They had called all the doctors they could, and yesterday she finally stabilized, but she had yet to wake up, and Selene was beside herself with worry.
"Miss, try to relax. I believe you have an appointment to attend, don't you?" he reminded her.
"Yes... Yes, you're right, Magnus. I should go." As Selene turned to head to the garden for tea with her daughters-in-law, she paused for a moment. "Please inform me of any changes."
"Of course, princess. You will be the first to know."
As she continued her walk toward the garden, Selene couldn't help but offer another silent prayer for her daughter while cursing once again the fact that her father was not here with them.
Upon entering the garden and being surrounded by vibrant, lush greenery, Selene immediately felt her worries lessen slightly.
Seeing the rich colors of the flowers and smelling the soft aroma of her favorite tea worked wonders in calming her constantly working mind.
Walking down the path toward the garden's center, Selene soon saw a large, handmade wooden table where two beautiful young women sat, conversing cheerfully.
"Sorry for being late, girls," Selene said with a warm smile on her face.
"Oh, Mother, hello!"
"Hello, Mom!"
As she took a seat across from them, she finally felt a bit of peace amid their warm and bubbly atmosphere.
"How are you, my precious girls?" As Selene poured herself some tea, she looked at the two women before her who, despite being equally beautiful, were polar opposites.
"Ah! I'm doing great, Mother! Today I defeated fifty guards!" Kaela, always energetic like the Hellfox she was, was the first to speak, as always.
Hellfoxes were a race that was a mix between Kitsune and demons and were incredibly rare.
Standing at an impressive six feet, she was actually quite small for someone of her race.
She had completely black skin, filled with extremely well-defined muscles, but that took nothing away from her feminine charm.
On the contrary, perhaps it even added something more.
Kaela had an incredibly curvaceous figure with large F-cup breasts and a soft, plump backside, with a fluffy black tail protruding above it.
She had long black hair—wild and rebellious—but it suited her nature perfectly. With two cute fox ears poking out from her head, she looked as wild as she was beautiful.
However, the most unsettling thing about her were her bright orange eyes with black sclera that seemed to pierce through the soul.
"Dear Kaela, make sure not to break the guards again, alright?" Selene said with a small laugh.
"Don't worry, Mom, I've gotten much better at sparring with them. I've learned not to do it again," she said with a somewhat sick expression.
The reason Kaela was exiled from her clan was that, despite her love for battle and her evident talent for it, she was unable to grow her second tail—a crucial milestone for a Hellfox. Her inability to evolve was seen as a sign of weakness, making her an outcast in her clan, even more so as the daughter of the chieftain.
Selene laughed tenderly before focusing her attention on her other, much quieter daughter-in-law.
"And you, Miriel?"
"I've been feeling a little stuck lately; I think I've gone through almost all the books in the library," she replied sadly.
"Oh, really? Why didn't you come to me or Magnus if you needed more books, dear? You know we'd be happy to help."
"Mother, how could I trouble you with something so trivial?" As Selene watched her try to hide the slight blush on her face, she wondered how her daughter had been blessed not only with great beauty but with two.
Sitting beside Kaela was a mature but petite woman who exuded feminine charm and grace.
Miriel was the eldest daughter of the witch queen, who was disqualified from the throne due to her magical aptitude.
In this world, witches were a naturally occurring race that lived separately from humans. They were distinguished only by their animal-like eyes.
Miriel was just a bit shorter than Kaela, but her figure was much softer and more delicate. Her golden-brown skin was etched with intricately carved runes that resembled birthmarks.
She had a perplexing pair of bright red serpentine eyes that painted a beautiful image of a sexy, mature, and dangerous woman.
Even if her true personality was as non-threatening as one could imagine.
At home, she suffered horrible treatment much like Seraphina due to her magic's focus on controlling animals—specifically snakes—not being seen as useful.
She was a quiet girl who often avoided interaction with others and was constantly worried that her presence was unwanted.
But despite her shy nature, she was an incredibly clever and kind woman.
"My daughters-in-law are the best!" Selene thought excitedly.