Raidne felt the warmth she had left in her brother Simon's house years ago. However, this warmth was now filled with the changes that time had brought; the walls that were once bright had now faded a bit, and the wooden floor carried the marks of time. Still, this house felt like a paradise to Raidne. It contained peace, nostalgia, and the sense of a home she had longed for. But one question weighed heavily on her heart like a stone. She couldn't stop thinking about her mother and father. She wanted to see them again, hear their voices, and hug them. But what if they weren't alive? This fear was like a dagger lodged in her heart.
Raidne turned to Simon and asked with a look of both fear and hope in her eyes, "Simon, where are Mom and Dad?"
Simon noticed the deep concern in his sister's eyes. With a gentle smile, he placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Mom and Dad went out shopping. Don't worry, they'll be back soon." Simon's calm and reassuring voice comforted Raidne a little, but the worry in her heart hadn't entirely gone away. Still, this answer was a glimmer of hope.
Seeing the expression on Raidne's face, Simon softened his tone and continued, "Raidne, there's a lot I need to tell you about what's happened since you've been gone. So much has changed, the town has changed, and we have changed too."
Raidne turned to her brother, curious. "What happened, Simon?"
Simon took a deep breath and began. "Since the day you were kidnapped, everything has changed for our family. Dad searched for you for years. The townspeople did everything they could to find you, but we never found a trace. Mom couldn't recover from the pain of losing you for a long time. At night, she would mumble your name, and during the day, she couldn't stop thinking about what happened to you. Dad, although he put on a stern face, was always deeply worried about you. But as time passed and our search yielded no results, we all had to learn to live with the reality of it."
As Simon spoke, Raidne couldn't hold back her tears. The thought of her parents' pain was too much for her to bear. She blamed herself, feeling guilty for causing them so much suffering. But Simon's voice pulled her away from these dark thoughts.
"Raidne, a lot has changed in the town too," Simon continued. "Shadowbrook used to be a peaceful, calm place. Since your kidnapping, the people became more anxious. No one wants to play near the river anymore, and when night falls, everyone stays inside. Over time, it felt like a shadow had fallen over the town. Over the years, some merchants and new people started coming to our town. They changed things; the familiar faces we once knew slowly left, and new faces came. Still, for us here in this house, time seemed to stand still. We kept waiting for you, Raidne. We hoped you'd come back one day. And now, you're here."
Raidne fell silent as she absorbed Simon's words. The more she heard about what they had been through and how the town had changed, the more she felt an indescribable sense of guilt. But at the same time, she thought there might be a chance to fix the past now that she had returned to this house.
Simon noticed the complex emotions on Raidne's face and took her hand, saying, "Raidne, everything may have changed, but this house, this town, it's still your home. Mom and Dad are waiting for you. When they return, we'll be a family again. No matter what happened in this town, we can start over."
These words soothed Raidne's heart. The idea of leaving the pain of the past behind and starting anew with her brother gave her strength.
Simon watched his sister's emotions, then his gaze shifted to the young man sitting next to Raidne. Ethan was sitting quietly beside her. Simon took him in from head to toe. The young man had a strong yet fragile build, and the expression on his face was serious. Simon sensed there was a reason Ethan was here.
Without taking his eyes off Raidne, Simon decided to ask. With a touch of curiosity and uncertainty, he said, "Is this your son, Raidne?"
As Simon looked at his sister, a strange feeling arose within him. He had wondered for years about where she was, what she had been through. Now, he didn't even know if she had a child.
Raidne paused when she heard Simon's question, then smiled gently. She understood the confusion in his mind, and the thought brought a small sense of relief. But she knew she had to explain herself to Simon.
"Ethan is not my son, Simon," she answered in a soft voice. She gently touched Ethan's shoulder. "Ethan is my friend, my companion. We've been together for a long time and have faced many challenges together."
Simon was surprised by Raidne's words, but he also felt relieved. He had so many questions about her life, but he knew that for now, the most important thing was that she was safe. Still, he was curious about who Ethan was. Seeing him by Raidne's side and the bond they shared caught his attention.
"Ethan," Simon said, turning to the young man. "Thank you for bringing Raidne here. It seems you've done a lot for her."
Ethan nodded respectfully at Simon. "Raidne means a lot to me. Protecting her and being by her side is an honor. I'm happy to be here, and it brings me joy to see Raidne reunited with her family."
Simon was moved by Ethan's words. He had never given up hope of finding his sister, but seeing that she was truly safe was a great comfort to him. The fact that someone so loyal was by her side meant a lot to him.
As Simon, Raidne, and Ethan's conversation deepened, they suddenly heard the sound of the door opening. When Raidne heard the familiar sound, her heart began to race. She realized her parents had arrived. She had been waiting for this moment for years, but now that it was real, she found it hard to believe. For a moment, she hesitated, but that hesitation quickly gave way to the strength of her longing.
Raidne quickly stood up and ran toward the door. As her parents stepped into the house, they saw their daughter running toward them. At first, they looked at each other in shock, as this scene seemed impossible to them. But when Raidne embraced them, feeling their warmth and reality, their doubts disappeared. When they smelled Raidne's scent, the scent they had longed for, their hearts filled the emptiness they had carried for years.
Raidne tightly embraced her mother and father. She never wanted to let go. Her parents embraced her just as tightly. After years of loss, the joy of reuniting with each other brought tears to their eyes. The tears streaming from their faces fell into Raidne's hair, but these were not tears of sorrow. They were tears of joy and reunion.
Meanwhile, Ethan, watching them, had tears in his eyes. Seeing Raidne reunited with her family stirred up a deep emotional storm within him. Raidne's happiness was a source of comfort for him too, but as he watched this scene, he couldn't help but think about his own family. His family, whom he had never known, whose faces he couldn't even remember. He realized, deep down, he missed them. Even though he had never known them, there was a longing for reunion inside him.
Ethan, respecting the moment they were sharing, quietly stepped back. He felt it was right to let them have this special moment alone. He slowly approached Raidne and softly said, "Raidne, I'll leave you alone. You need time with your family."
Raidne looked at Ethan with gratitude. His thoughtfulness deepened the bond she felt for him. She nodded and thanked him, and Ethan silently left the house.
Ethan walked toward his horse and slowly mounted it. He looked back at the house one last time; he could hear the laughter and cries from inside. These sounds created a bittersweet feeling in Ethan's heart. As someone who had never been reunited with his own family, this moment gave him both hope and pain. Gently spurring his horse, he set off on his way.
As Ethan slowly rode back to the palace, he realized there was no one around. At that moment, the tears he had been holding back were finally free. He didn't wipe them from his face because there was no one to share this moment with. These tears were the expression of the longing and pain that had built up inside him for years.
Along the way, he cried quietly, trying to imagine the faces of his parents. Sadly, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't picture them in his mind. The only thing that came to mind were blurry silhouettes, but even these gave him a sense of closeness and belonging.
Ethan, through his tears, began to wonder if he had a sibling. Perhaps somewhere out there, there was someone like him, looking for him, missing him. This thought gave him a little comfort, but it also made the emptiness inside him more pronounced. If he had a sibling, the hope of being reunited could be the only solace he had during this journey.
He continued slowly down the road, his tears flowing as he faced his feelings. He knew that when he reached the palace, he would have to leave all his thoughts behind and return to his duties. But deep down, he knew that he would never forget the emotions this reunion had brought him. As Ethan continued his journey, he began to think about how he could ease the longing and pain he carried within him. These feelings had become a part of him, and he had to learn to live with them.