(Five Years Later)

"Mom! Ciaran is showing off again," Arian complained, seeing his twin had spread his tiny black wings and was trying to hover in the air.

"Ahh! Arian, stop telling everything to Mommy," Ciaran sent him a cute glare.

Aselia and Xiran emerged from their room and Ciaran quickly folded his wings back, a deep blush appeared on his cute little cheeks.

"Ciaran? What did we talk about?" Aselia asked in a gentle but firm tone as she walked over to her sons. Xiran comfortably settled on the lounger in their vast living room to watch the proceedings with a sly grin.

He bowed his head and replied in a small voice:

"No flying inside the house or without the supervision of daddy."

"Exactly, so let’s remember these rules for the next time. Shall we?" she reminded and he affirmed with a nod of his head.

"Why don’t we head outside and practice a bit?" Xiran offered, keenly watching his over-enthusiastic son who had recently discovered his wings and Ciaran’s face lit up like the full moon.

"Can we?" he went over to his father and picking him up he settled him in his lap.

"Yes," the reassuring smile from Xiran put him at ease. Getting up both of them headed out.

"Don’t forget what day is tomorrow," Aselia called from behind them.

"We won’t. Join us," they waved at her and ushered Arian to join them but he only scowled in return and refused to budge.

"I got him," Aselia reassured Xiran, who had halted seeing that Arian was not pleased. She gestured for him to take Ciaran along. Xiran threw one lingering look at his cross son and made his way out of their gigantic villa, which he had built especially for his family.

"Come here, buddy. Sit with me," Arian dejectedly followed his mother to the lounger and sat down beside her.

"Alright, let’s talk about what’s really bothering you. Can you share it with mommy?" Aselia gently took his small hands in hers and stared at his handsome face. The uncanny resemblance he held with his grandfather couldn’t be ignored and yet she never mentioned that fact.

"Why does Ciaran get to have wings while I don’t?" he pouted, his tiny arms spread out as he stared back at his mother with saddened eyes.

"I understand that you want to have wings just like your father and your brother. But you know the best things always happen to those who wait for it. They will emerge when it’s time for them to," Aselia rubbed her thumbs at the back of his soft little hands. Her eyes gently held onto his.

"What if they never did? What if I am like you, without wings?" his sudden question caught Aselia off guard but she kept a steady face.

"Then it won’t matter at all. It’s the heart that needs to be pure irrespective of one having wings or not. Do you love me less than your father because I don’t have wings?" Aselia softly asked her cross-looking son.

"No, I love you more than anyone in this world. Even more than daddy, don’t tell him. He already likes Ciaran more because he has wings," his truths and apprehensions baffled Aselia and she had to blink several times before could formulate a reply.

"Arian; my beautiful beautiful boy. Your father loves both of you equally, wings or no wings he will never differentiate. It’s just that your brother needs help learning to control and fly with his new wings, so your father is guiding him," she affectionately pulled him towards herself and he gladly hugged his mother.

"But I will selfishly treasure the secret that you love me more," she whispered to him, kissing his head full of silver hair and he melted in her motherly hug.

"I will always love you more but I want wings too," he still insisted, making her smile and holding him near.

"Let’s go out and see what your father and brother are up to now. Your friends will be there too," before they could get up, the sounds of a wailing toddler could be heard from inside the kid’s room.

"Go on, Arian. Your sister is up, I will bring her along," she ushered him towards the door and he obediently ran along.

Aselia went inside the colourful room with painted rainbows and unicorns where her two-year-old daughter had just woken up and was crying to be let out of her cot.

"Hey! Xolani, you are up. Come to mommy," the little girl who was indeed the carbon copy of her mother. Same facial features, sea-green eyes, a shade of hair that was a mixture of silver and gold hues resembling both her parents, and pointed elven ears.

Xolani was Xiran’s sweetheart and he pampered her beyond imagination. He insisted on naming her with the same letter as his name started with. Xolani; which meant ’peace’.

The day she was born, Xiran had spent an uncountable amount of money to offer free food and drinks to the citizens of Fritez City. She was almost two years old now.

"Mommy!" the little girl squealed seeing Aselia and she embraced her with outstretched arms. Pulling her out of the cot she kissed her.

"You are up, hmm. Want to go out and play?" Aselia straightened her silky hair and they made their way outside their villa.

Xiran had built this house near the beach, it was an entire neighbourhood belonging to them and their loved ones. It had hues of teal and silver with a lot of glasswork.

There were six villas in total built in a semi-circular style and a massive ground which stretched to the beach was laid in front of it for the kids to play in. A protective boundary covered the other side while different kinds of rides, swings, slides and other entertainment for kids had been arranged in it.

The central villas belonged to Xiran and Aselia, Rivan and Irlana. On their right, it was Rumail and Amoris, Rubisha and Silver Wolf’s. On their left, it was Yurian and Frila and lastly Zirius and Arimie.

Yurian and Frila finally got married a year ago and were expecting their first child. Rivan and Irlana had a four-year-old son whom they had named, Kalum. While Rumail and Amoris didn’t have any kids for now.

"Hey!" Aselia waved to Yurian and Frila who were sitting on the wooden benches watching the kids and their friends play.

"Hey! My princess is here," Yurian shuffled quickly from his seat and gathered Xolani in his arms.

"Yui!" The little girl was excited to see her uncle and began to clap and giggle. Aselia went ahead and occupied the seat Yurian had vacated.

"How are you feeling?" she amiably asked Frila, wrapping a reassuring arm around her.

"Well, I puked all my breakfast but other than that I am fine. Yuiran worries a lot though," Frila was holding her bulging stomach and a satisfied adorned her glowing face.

"Ah! And he must. This is your first baby, worries come naturally," she patted Frila’s shoulder and both women stared ahead.

Xiran, Rivan, Rumail and Zirius were playing catch with the twins, Kalum, Olesia and Ilyus. Rony barked and chased everyone around. Yurian and Xolani soon joined them as well.

Xiran’s smile widened seeing his daughter.

"My precious girl," and she leapt from Yurian’s arms into her father’s outstretched ones. He lovingly collected her and hugged her to his chest.

"Daddy," she clasped his face in her tiny hands and kissed his cheek.

Irlana, Rubisha and Arimie were sitting on the other benches, talking among themselves, discussing what everyone had planned to wear the next day for the event. Seeing Aselia and Frila the other girls waved and walked over to them.

They wore gaudy sundresses, enjoying the full bloom of the spring season. The garden had been beautifully adorned with flowering plants and trees and the serenity of this place would take anyone’s breath away.

"Kids are having fun," Irlana remarked as the ladies watched their kids and men playing together. It was a beautiful moment, with the dying sun and a calm sea behind them.

"Indeed, when is Silver returning?" Aselia inquired from Rubisha. Amoris and Silver Wolf were away on missions and were expected to return soon.

"Hopefully, tonight. I told him he was not to miss tomorrow’s event."

"Yes, I want everyone to be here tomorrow," Aselia answered, her calm eyes taking in how her husband was dancing with their daughter while her sons played with their uncles, cousins and friends. Her heart danced in solace for this was indeed what she had dreamt about. To be free and be surrounded by loved ones. The breeze ruffled her golden locks and a content smile settled on her rosy lips.

The journey that had begun with revenge ended with her having a loving and adorable family and people she could rely on.

The joy on her husband’s face meant the world to her. He had sacrificed so much for her and both of them had come a long way. Breaking stereotypes, crossing worlds, and surviving heartbreaks to be with each other.

And in the end, this is what it had amassed to making it worth the effort, making it worth everything.

(This is the second last Chapter of the book, tomorrow I will upload the last one and this will be the end of this long journey. I have plans to write a second book involving the kids but it’s in future for now. For now, leaving you people with the rest of the images in the comments section.)