Chapter 8: Brothers

CAERA DENOIR'S POV:The mansion seemed even larger as we moved further away from the sitting room, the endless hallways and intricate decor doing little to calm my anxiety. The attendant led me through a series of doorways before stopping in front of a large, ornate door."Your brothers are inside, young lady," the attendant said with a polite bow, stepping aside to let me enter.I stood there for a moment, hesitating. Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open.Inside, the room was filled with lively energy. Two boys were sparring with wooden practice swords, their movements quick and precise as they circled each other, the sound of wood clashing echoing around the spacious chamber.The first boy, with olive hair, green eyes, and striking features reminiscent of their father Corbett, appeared to be around a year or two older than me. His expression was focused, yet there was an air of ease in the way he moved.The older one, likely five or six years older than me, inherited his mother Lenora's brilliant white hair, striking blue eyes, and pale skin. He stood tall, his presence commanding, but there was a playful smile on his face as he traded blows with his brother.For a moment, I just watched, taking in the scene. These boys—my new brothers—seemed so comfortable in their surroundings, and I wondered how I would fit into this new family.When they finally noticed me standing at the doorway, they paused mid-spar, both of them turning their attention toward me. Unsure of what to do, I raised my hand awkwardly and stammered, "H-Hi."The younger boy, with olive hair and green eyes, immediately shifted into a defensive stance, pointing his practice sword at me. "Who are you?! How did you get in here?""Um..." I hesitated, unsure of how to explain. Surely their parents would have told them about me, right? I glanced around, hoping the attendant who brought me would explain, but she had already left.Before I could respond, the older boy smacked the back of his younger brother's head. "Put your sword down, idiot."The younger one looked at him, confused. "Why? She's a stranger! She could be an intruder!"The older boy rolled his eyes. "Did you forget? Mom and Dad said our new sister was coming today. This must be her."The younger boy blinked in confusion for a moment, then slowly lowered his wooden sword. "Oh... right." Though his defensive stance relaxed, he still eyed me with a hint of caution.Sevren approached me with a friendly grin, extending his hand. "I'm Sevren Denoir, and this little brute is our brother, Lauden. Though, you can call him Lauly if you want." He shot a playful glance at Lauden, who scowled, clearly not appreciating the nickname.Feeling a bit more at ease, I reached out and shook Sevren's hand. "O-oh, my name is Caera. It's nice to meet you, Sevren. And you too, Lauly."Lauden crossed his arms, still frowning. "It's Lauden, and you're not our real sister, so don't act like we are siblings."Sevren's expression darkened instantly as a heavy aura radiated from him, pressing down on Lauden. "Lauden!" he snapped, his voice laced with authority. Lauden's scowl faltered for a moment, but it quickly morphed into an angry, defiant expression."What? I'm just telling the truth," Lauden muttered, his voice more frustrated now, but he avoided Sevren's gaze.An awkward silence settled in as I stood frozen, unsure of what to say or do. The tension between the brothers was thick, and the discomfort of it all made me feel like I didn't belong.Sevren, sensing my unease, relaxed and offered a reassuring smile. "Don't mind him, Caera."Lauden huffed but didn't say another word. His face still held traces of bitterness as he turned abruptly toward the door. "I'm going," he muttered, leaving the room without looking back.Watching him leave, I felt a weight of guilt settle over me. Was it my presence that caused this mess? I didn't want to be the reason for any rift between them.Sevren, noticing the shift in my expression, sighed and gave a small, understanding smile. "Don't worry. He's still immature. Lauly—Lauden—just needs time. He'll warm up eventually."Not sure what else to say, I nodded, hoping that one day, Lauden might accept me as his sister.~~A day had passed since my arrival at the Denoir estate, and I was slowly adjusting to my new surroundings and the people. Lauden had yet to speak to me again, his usual reaction being a scowl or walking away whenever we crossed paths. It was disheartening, but I couldn't force him to accept me.Lenora and Corbett had been busy since my arrival, preparing for a party to announce me as their foster daughter and, more importantly, Scythe Seris's disciple. The thought of it all made my chest tighten—so much attention and expectation in a single night.Right now, though, I needed a break from the weight of it all. It was dawn, and the crisp morning air beckoned me outside. I hadn't trained in swordsmanship or mana manipulation for two days, and the restlessness gnawed at me. I needed to practice, to feel that familiar connection to my mana again.Walking through the garden, I marveled at the intricate designs of the flowers and bushes, each one placed with such care. Arriving at a secluded spot, I took out the sword Scythe Seris had given me before she left. It wasn't particularly special—just a standard blade, nothing compared to the weapons I'd seen her wield. She had told me to wait a few more years before choosing a proper sword, as my body was still growing and adapting.I gripped the hilt, feeling the cool metal against my palm, and exhaled slowly. I took a stance, remembering Seris's lessons and the fluidity of motion she had ingrained in me. Slowly, I began to move, sweeping the blade through the air, practicing the basic forms I knew so well. As the blade sliced through the crisp morning air, I felt the familiar surge of mana coursing through me, awakening the discipline I had momentarily let slip.After practicing for about half an hour, the sun had fully risen, casting its golden rays over the horizon and illuminating the towering peaks of Mount Nishan in the distance. The sight was breathtaking, but I didn't pause to admire it for long—there was still more training to do.Deciding to push myself further, I activated my Emblem: Ember Surge. The familiar warmth of fire mana flowed effortlessly through my body, responding to my will. Flames flickered around me, but I didn't want to scorch the garden. Concentrating, I controlled the fire, guiding it into a swirling vortex that revolved closely around me, its heat contained and precise.With my sword at the ready, I channeled a small fraction of fire mana into the blade, gathering it into a focused point at the tip. My breath steadied as I prepared for the next move. In one swift motion, I sliced through the air, releasing a horizontal wave of fire that surged upwards with impressive force. The flames cut through the sky, climbing higher and higher until they reached above the height of the Denoir estate itself, before gradually dissipating."Holy!" a voice exclaimed behind me, pulling me out of my focus. I quickly turned around, and there stood Sevren at the entrance to the garden, his eyes wide in awe as he stared at the sky where the flames had just dissipated."Oh, good morning, Sevren," I said, smiling. I was genuinely happy to see him; over the past few days, he had become someone I could rely on. He'd taken it upon himself to show me around the estate, introducing me to the staff and making sure I felt at home. It had been a welcome comfort in this unfamiliar place.Sevren blinked a few times, snapping out of his dazed expression. "Good morning, Caera. That... was something. I didn't know you could do that." He stepped closer, his usual confident grin returning.I chuckled softly, lowering my sword. "It's just part of my training. Scythe Seris has been teaching me to better control my Emblem.""Wait, what? You already have an Emblem?" Sevren's tone was filled with genuine surprise and admiration.I nodded, feeling a small surge of pride. I was tempted to tell him about my Regalia as well, but I remembered Scythe Seris's warning to keep that a secret for now. "Yeah," I said, keeping it simple for the moment."Well, I guess there's a reason Scythe Seris chose you to be her disciple after all," he said, crossing his arms with a playful smile. "I've never seen anyone control a fire Emblem like that at your age. What's it called?""It's called Ember Surge," I replied, about to explain further. "It allo—""Allows you to control flames within a certain radius, right?" he interrupted, sounding impressed.I blinked, surprised. "How did you know?"He chuckled and waved it off casually. "I have an Emblem of Instillers. It lets me retain and process information a lot faster than most people.""Wait, you're an Instiller?" I asked, more impressed than before. "I thought you were a Striker since you were sparring with Lauden."He shrugged, grinning. "I'm a bit of both. Anyway, you said what you just did was part of your training. What else do you do?""Oh, nothing too intense," I replied modestly. "I just spar lightly with Scythe Seris to get some practical experience.""Wow, sparring with Scythe Seris? That's incredible!" Sevren looked excited, then his grin widened as if an idea had just struck him. "Well, how about you give me the honor of being your sparring partner today?"I blinked in surprise, unsure how to respond at first. "You want to spar with me?""Why not?" he said with a confident smile. "You've impressed me already, and I could use a good challenge."~~A/N: Well the next chapter would be the spar, hope you would be excited for that as that would be the first battle of this series, though only a light spar. Make sure to vote if you like this chapter, and tell me if I portrayed the character of Lauden and Sevren, correctly.