CHAPTER 50: FAMILY 2

Aegis tugged at her collar for the fifth time. The outfit felt too nice. Soft blue fabric that actually fit properly, with delicate embroidery along the sleeves. Nothing like her usual academy uniform.

"Stop fidgeting." Scarlett lounged on Lune’s bed, taking up most of it. "You look fine."

"I’m not fidgeting."

"You’ve adjusted that same button twelve times."

Lune sat beside Scarlett, sketchbook in her lap.

"It’s just your family. Why are you so nervous?"

[Because I invented them in a character backstory and now they’re real people with real feelings who think I’m their real daughter.]

"Just... haven’t seen them in a while." Aegis smoothed down her skirt. Again.

A knock interrupted them.

"Miss Starcaller?" A maid’s voice called through the door. "Lady Roseheart has arranged transportation for you."

Aegis blinked.

"She what?"

Opening the door revealed a uniformed driver holding his cap.

"Carriage is ready whenever you are, miss. Lady Roseheart insisted on providing transport to the Golden Bell Inn."

[Is this also because I saved her? She’s done so much already!]

"That’s... very generous of her."

[How did she even know I was going to be seeing my family? Did she speak with my family?]

"She said it was the least she could do." The driver smiled. "Shall we?"

Aegis turned back to her roommates.

"Lune, you’re still coming, right?"

"If you want me to."

"I need emotional support." Aegis crossed the room and threw her arms around Lune, burying her face in the smaller girl’s shoulder. "Let me recharge my Lune battery before facing my doom."

"I... guess that’s fine?" Lune patted her back awkwardly.

Scarlett laughed.

"Want me to come too? I can flex for your parents. Show them you’ve got strong friends."

"No!" Aegis pulled back from Lune. "You’ll probably flirt with everyone."

"Me? Never."

Aegis grabbed Lune’s hand.

"Come on. Before she decides to follow anyway."

They left Scarlett cackling on the bed.

---

The carriage was nicer than any vehicle Aegis had ridden in. Both lives included. Cushioned seats, smooth suspension, and windows with actual glass instead of wooden shutters.

"Lady Roseheart must really like you." Lune observed.

"I got lucky is all."

"You saved her life."

"I interrupted an assassin. Commander Korvo did the actual saving."

"Still."

They lapsed into comfortable silence. Aegis watched the city roll by, trying not to think about what waited at the inn. Lune sketched something in her book, occasionally glancing up at Aegis.

"What are you drawing?"

"Your expression."

"My nervous breakdown face?"

"It’s interesting." Lune tilted her head. "You look different when you’re genuinely worried. Less... calculated."

[Great. Even Lune noticed I’m usually putting on an act.]

"Thanks."

"It wasn’t an insult." Lune returned to her sketch. "Just an observation."

The Golden Bell Inn appeared ahead. A modest establishment, clean but clearly catering to travelers on a budget. Aegis’s chest tightened.

[They saved every copper to come here.]

"We can still turn around." Lune offered quietly. "If you’d rather not."

"No. I need to do this."

The carriage stopped. Aegis forced herself to exit, legs shaky. The inn’s door loomed like a boss battle entrance.

[Get it together. You’ve faced actual assassins. You can handle a family reunion.]

She pushed inside.

The common room was half-full of travelers eating lunch. But Aegis only saw three people at a corner table.

A weathered man with calloused hands and her same green eyes. A woman with graying brown hair tied back in a practical bun. And a girl, maybe sixteen, shifting with barely-contained excitement.

[Aaron, Lisannia, Sophie.] Aegis blinked. [The characters I made.]

Sophie spotted her first.

"AEGIS!"

The girl launched herself across the room. Aegis barely had time to brace before around a hundred pounds of little sister slammed into her waist.

"You’re here! Finally. Mama said we had to wait but I wanted to go to the academy and find you but Papa said that wasn’t allowed and-"

"Sophie, let your sister breathe." Their mother’s voice was warm.

But Sophie just squeezed tighter.

"I missed you so much! The sheep miss you too! Star keeps looking for you in your old room!"

Sophie gave Aegis a kiss on the cheek that made her blush. She held her lips there too, for way longer than was needed.

Their father approached, movements careful like he was afraid she’d bolt.

"Hello, little star."

That nickname hit like a sledgehammer. Cheesy little things she’d written down that had jumped off the page.

Memories that weren’t quite memories flickered at the edges of her consciousness. Being held. Being sung to. Being loved.

"Papa." The word came out cracked.

He opened his arms. An invitation, not a demand.

Aegis fell into them.

He smelled like earth and smoke. His embrace was exactly as warm as she’d written it to be. No, warmer. Because she’d only written the idea of a loving father.

This was the reality.

"My brilliant girl." He murmured into her hair. "We’re so proud."

Her mother joined the hug, sandwiching Aegis between them. Sophie still clung to her waist like a limpet.

"Look at you." Her mother pulled back to cup Aegis’s face. "Eating properly? You look thin."

"I’m fine."

"Hmm." She clearly didn’t believe it. "We brought honey cakes."

"And dried apple slices!" Sophie piped up. "And that cheese you like! And-"

"We brought half the farm." Her father chuckled. "Your mother insisted."

"Just a few treats." Her mother flushed. "I wanted to make sure you had good food."

[They can barely afford to visit and they brought me presents.]

"Thank you." Aegis’s voice went thick. "You didn’t have to-"

"Of course we did." Her mother’s tone brooked no argument. "Now, introduce us to your friend."

Aegis had completely forgotten about Lune, who stood by the door looking like a life-size doll.

"Right! This is Lune, my roommate. Lune, these are my parents, and my little sister Sophie."

"Pleasure to meet you." Lune gave a small bow.

Sophie immediately detached from Aegis to inspect the new person.

"Are you a noble? You look fancy."

"Sophie!" Their mother scolded.

"What? She does!"

"I’m from House Solana," Lune admitted. "Minor nobility."

Their parents exchanged glances. The kind that said ’our daughter is rooming with nobility?’

"She’s really nice." Aegis said quickly. "She’s teaching me to paint."

"You’re learning art?" Her mother lit up. "How wonderful!"

"Among other things."

"Tell us about it."

---

They settled at the table. Her parents had already ordered food, simple fare that probably cost more than they wanted to spend. Sophie bounced between interrogating Lune about noble life and peppering Aegis with questions about the academy.

"Is it true you have floating lights?"

"Yes."

"And moving paintings?"

"Some of them."

"And a real ghost teacher?"

Aegis choked on her water.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Mrs. Henders’s nephew’s friend goes to the academy. He said there’s a ghost haunting the academy."

[... Well, not quite. At least, I wouldn’t call it haunting. More like lounging.]

"There are lots of rumors about the academy." Aegis deflected.

"But are they true?"

"Some might be."

Sophie’s eyes went huge.

"You’ve seen a ghost?"

"Let your sister eat." Their father intervened.

But Sophie was undeterred. She just switched tactics, pulling out a worn piece of paper.

"I wrote down everything I wanted to ask!"

The list was three pages long.

Her mother laughed.

"She’s been preparing for weeks."

"I wanted to make sure I didn’t forget anything important." Sophie defended.

[She made a list. My fictional baby sister made an actual list of questions.]

Something in Aegis’s chest cracked open. These weren’t just backstory elements anymore. They were people. Real people who loved her.

The fear of not knowing how to be their daughter faded. Replaced by something warmer.

She reached over and ruffled Sophie’s hair.

"Ask away. We’ve got time."

Sophie beamed like Aegis had given her the world.

Maybe she had.

---

Two hours later, Aegis’s face hurt from smiling. Sophie had interrogated her about everything from spell classes to dorm food. Her parents had shared village gossip and farm updates. Lune had even relaxed enough to show Sophie some simple illusions.

"We should go." Her mother said reluctantly. "The coach back leaves soon."

"Already?" Sophie’s face fell.

"We’ll visit again." Her father promised. "Once we save up."

"Alright," Aegis nodded. "I’m looking forward to it."

From there, they parted ways and Aegis went with Lune back to the academy.

As Lady Roseheart’s carriage slowly began rumbling away, Lune glanced over.

"Was their visit what you’d hoped it would be?"

Aegis glanced over.

"That’s a pretty big question."

"Is it?"

Aegis shrugged.

"It was... nice."

"You don’t sound too sure."

Aegis sighed, melting into her seat.

"It’s just, uh... Due to circumstances," she cleared her throat, "I was kind of held up in a bed throughout most of my recent years. I... only got to know my family during my childhood. Seeing them again, here, feels... strange."

"I see."

Aegis glanced back at Lune. Then, she wrapped her arms around her and pulled her down.

"...?" Lune looked up with Aegis with a silent question.

Aegis just squeezed harder.

"Need to recharge my battery again."

"Ah."

Aegis still wasn’t too sure how to feel about all this. But, it wasn’t horrible. That much was clear.