Grunts filled the expanse of the dark room as Kanah stretched in bed and opened his eyes.
Shifting his gaze left and right, he registered his grandfather lying beside him, as silent and still as a corpse.
Gently, he placed his fingers next to his grandfather's nose to confirm he was indeed breathing.
A faint breath brushed past his finger as he closed his eyes, letting out a sigh. He pulled his hand back, slowly climbing out of the bed and made his way towards the door.
With great care, he opened the door, slipped out and gently closed it.
Once he was outside, he stood upright and turned around, seeing his father on the sofa, drinking tea.
"Father? You are awake, but there is still time till dawn."
"I know that. I just wanted some tea. Besides, a father always wakes up before his son."
Kanah moved forward towards his father and lay at his feet, touching them. "Father."
Resting his hand on Kanah's head, Peter set his cup of tea aside. "May you live long and may you succeed in life."
His hands joined in front of his chest as he shifted and sat at his father's feet. "Can I do anything for you?"
"Not at this moment, I have made the morning tea. You can carry on with what you want to do."
Nodding, he stood up. "Father, I will be stepping out for a few moments."
"Be back soon."
"Yes, Father."
After a quick scan of the room, he found what he was looking for.
The cloak rested on the hanger, near the entrance. He donned the cloak, stepping out of the suite.
In the lobby of the inn, Geneva was sleeping on the couch near the stairs. Next to a table stacked with empty mugs of wine and beer and stained plates.
Geneva's foot brushed the table as she stirred, knocking over an empty mug.
It rolled off the table and bounced on the floor, towards the stairs.
Till it came to a stop at Kanah's feet. He bent down to pick it up and walked over to the table, placing it back down.
He studied the messy lobby, where Geneva stirred in her sleep among the gathered remains of yesterday's carnage.
'To think, the city was almost wiped out yesterday, and these people partied afterwards, leaving this girl to clean up their mess.'
"Cold!"
The sleeping girl spoke out as she shivered. Looking down at the girl, Kanah took off his cloak and covered the girl.
Geneva clung to the warmth of the cloak as Kanah smiled, stepping towards the main entrance to the inn.
The door was locked, and he did not have the key. "Well, looks like I will have to be unorthodox."
He covered the keyhole with his palm, and a faint blue glow emerged from within and entered the keyhole.
As the sound of the lock clicking filled his ears, he turned his palm and unlocked the door. He removed his hand from the keyhole and chuckled.
"Easy."
The door was opened, and the cold morning winds of the harbour greeted him, blowing the hair on his forehead back.
Stepping out, he closed the door. 'If she was shivering while the lobby was isolated, she would surely catch a cold if this wind entered the lobby.'
Once again, he placed his hand on the keyhole, locking the door.
He gazed left and right, finding an empty harbour before him, no living being other than him.
Only the sound of water splashing on the walls of the harbour and the ships swaying with each wave.
Kanah crossed the road, standing at the edge of the coast, looking at the dark void before him.
He stood there calmly processing the events that occurred since his 19th birthday.
Before him, something began tearing apart the void as the sky lightened.
A warmth landed on the back of his neck as he closed his eyes.
The sun rose with each passing moment, tearing apart the void and illuminating the bay before him.
Once the sun was up, Kanah could see the military harbour on the other side of the bay.
He smiled, turning around and walking back to the door of the inn.
Unlocking the door, he stepped through, catching a mug that was thrown at his face.
"It would appear you are a fighter, glad to know."
"I am so sorry."
Geneva placed the plate and empty bottle in her hands on the table and ran forward, taking the mug from Kanah.
Who chuckled, closing the door and locking it one last time. "I am the one who should apologise, I broke in and must have scared you."
"There is no need to apologise…not after giving me your cloak to keep me warm." She whispered the last part to herself as she looked away, getting shy.
"Would you like some tea?"
Geneva's eyes rolled forward as she unconsciously nodded. Kanah smiled, gesturing towards the couch.
"Perfect, please take a seat and let me do this for you."
Compelled by his words, she sat down on the couch holding the cloak in her lap.
Kanah moved towards the reception and entered the kitchen behind it.
Her gaze lingered on the door as she held the cloak tighter.
Suddenly, the stack of crockery began to float in the air and moved towards the kitchen, entering it as the door opened on its own.
She was tempted to look through the window, but she kept herself seated, taking deep breaths as the anticipation made her throat dry.
Soon Kanah stepped out of the kitchen with a tray in hand. He smiled towards Geneva, her lips parting as her eyes followed his.
He set the tray down on the table. "I took the liberty of adding a light breakfast alongside the tea. I hope it is to your liking."
Geneva looked down at the tray, a cup of tea, two slices of crisp-buttery toast and a sweet potato.
A smile found its way across her lips as she looked back at Kanah. "Thank you so much." She then looked down at the tray, and it clicked.
'He did not get anything for himself.'
"Are you not going to eat?"
Kanah shook his head as he closed his eyes, then opened them as they met hers.
"I am content, seeing you eat."
She looked back at the tray, lifting the toast, holding it towards Kanah.
"Just one bite from each of the items?"
He dropped his head as he chuckled, pulling a chair towards the table as he sat across her.
"If you insist."
First, she fed him a bite of the toast, then the sweet potato, and finally, she gave him a sip of the tea.
Once she was done, he picked up the toast.
"Let me."
She obliged, as he fed her the same way she fed him.
The moment she took a bite from the toast, her eyes widened as she looked forward at him.
Kanah gently placed the toast down and picked up the sweet potato, holding it near her mouth. She instinctively leaned forward, taking a bite as her eyes grew warm.
Finally, he held the cup as she took a sip, and her eyes became moist.
He placed the cup down in the tray.
"I hope it was to your liking."
Geneva collected herself as she blinked rapidly.
"I have never eaten anything this delicious."
Smiling ear to ear, Kanah chuckled.
"I am glad."
Taking a pause, he toned down his smile. "Are you alright?"
She nodded. "I am now… can I ask you something?"
He nodded.
"Is it time?"
Kanah shook his head. "It is not that time. But rest assured, it will come."
"I can't wait."
"Take care, Geneva."
"You too, Kanah."
He stood up, walking towards the stairs as Geneva continued with her breakfast.
.
.
.
.
Stepping into the suite, Kanah closed the door.
"Ahem."
Kanah flinched, turning around.
There behind him stood Peter.
"Be back soon?"
"I was talking to Geneva, helping her out."
Peter's eyes narrowed as he turned around.
"Alright. Get ready. We look for a ship and we need it today. I will head south, and you will cover the northern part of the city. That means you will cover the entire northern harbour and half of the eastern harbour. Any problems?"
"None, Father. I will do as you tell me."
Turning to the side, he let his son pass, his eyes fixed on him.
To minimise the time needed, Kanah moved to the kitchen and set up the tea, setting it to boil on a low flame in a saucepan.
'Mana stones are such lifesavers, I wish we had a Mana stone connection in our home too, instead of using a traditional stove.'
He left the tea to boil slowly on the stove and rushed towards the bathroom. He took off his clothes and placed them in a place where they would not get wet, and he picked up a bucket and poured it over his head.
Then, to dry himself, he used telekinesis and collected the water on his body in a big drop, letting it fall near the drain.
The sound of tea rising entered his ears as he quickly put on his pants and undergarments, rushing out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, blowing on the tea as it reached the rim.
The cold breath pushed the tea down.
"Made it just in time."
Next, he turned the flames off and grabbed three cups from the cupboards and poured out tea in them.
Placing the cups in a tray, he carried them towards the room on the left, opening the door with his foot.
Inside, his mother and sister were asleep on the bed. He chuckled, seeing his sister sprawled out, her limbs going in four different directions.
He set the tray on the night stool, beside his sleeping mother and the door, then walked around the bed, going to the window and opening the curtains.
Maya yawned as she opened her eyes, looking at the window. She immediately squinted them and covered her eyes.
"Why, brother, why must you betray me this way?"
"Wake up, kiddo, before I wake up, Mother."
At the mention of her mother, Maya rolled off the bed, landing on her feet and stood before her brother.
"Good morning, brother." "Good morning, Maya. I have prepared the tea for you, mother and grandfather."
He then walked around the bed towards the door, stopping at his mother's feet as he rested his forehead on them.
He then left the room and looked across the living room, and saw his father exiting the room on the right.
Their eyes met as Peter stood straight.
"Ready?"
Kanah nodded.
"Yes, Father."
A knock was heard at the door as they both turned towards it.
Kanah looked at his father, who gestured towards the door with his head and eyes.
Obeying his father's orders, Kanah opened the door and found Hert standing outside with an envelope in his hands.
"Sir Hert, what brings you here? You could have asked me to visit you at the estate."
Hert shook his head. "Given your urgency to move to Solara, it would leave an awful taste in my mouth to trouble you, even when I am utmost capable of travelling down here."
He then presented the envelope to Kanah. "A response to the letter you sent to Princess Aurelia yesterday. She wrote back at night, and I received the raven this morning."
Kanah took the letter, smiling as he rubbed his thumb on the message on the envelope. 'To my dearest Kanah, from Aurelia.'
"Thank you for bringing this to me. Please come in for tea."
Hert bowed slightly. "I am honoured to be of service. I am in a rush, so sadly, I must decline this time. However, there is another topic I need to discuss with you."
"I know you are in a rush, but I had to ask. What is it that you need to discuss?"
"I, on behalf of Sir Galreid, The Duke of The West, invite you to the public funeral of The Late Commander Alber Qwil. Soldiers under his command have reported, it was you who was alone with him in his final moments. It would mean a lot if you could meet his family and tell them if he had any final words."
"Of course, I will be there, but I will just meet his family, that too in private, not on some stage."
Hert chuckled. "That was what they requested as well."
Taking a deep breath, Kanah nodded. "When and where?" "Today, at two in the afternoon, at the heart of the northern harbour. Sir Galreid will also arrive at that time. Shall I set up a meeting between the two of you?"
He closed his eyes as he smiled. "I will stop for a few minutes after talking to the family, so yes, Uncle Galreid and I can meet, in private, of course."
"Absolutely. He will be thrilled when he receives this news. Now, till we meet again. Sir Kanah."
"Sir Hert."
Hert bowed before leaving as Kanah closed the door, his eyes falling on the letter in his hands.
"You can read it later. We have to cover the harbour and talk to the captains, go and cover the northern harbour before eleven in the morning. We cannot risk letting it get too crowded. Otherwise, we might not get a chance to talk to many captains."
"Understood. MAYA!"
The eight-year-old ran out of the room and into the living room, followed by his mother, who exited the room to the right.
"When did you wake up, mother?" "Maya woke me up, so I came out and saw you talking to that person, so I went and gave your grandfather his tea and came out when I heard you calling your sister."
"I was just about to tell her to close the door and not let anyone other than Father and I inside, but since you are awake, I guess we can leave without any worries."
He turned to look at Peter, who was shaking his head. he looked at Mata. "I do not know where this kid gets his talkativeness from, that's all you."
Mata chuckled. "Me, you must have forgotten what you were like when you were nineteen." "No, I was never this talkative."
The parents continued their banter as Kanah looked down, raising both his eyebrows. "Oh boy, I have a long day ahead."