Chapter 25 - The First Snow|
Winter arrived early on the mountain, blanketing the newly rebuilt estate in a thick, pristine layer of white snow. The scars of the battle were entirely hidden beneath the frost, leaving the landscape looking pure and untouched. The estate was quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos that had consumed it months prior.
I sat in my new study, a fire crackling merrily in the large stone hearth. The room was warmer, filled with framed photos of Clara, Emma, and my late brother. The ghosts of the past felt entirely distant now, finally laid to rest.
The door creaked open, and Emma peeked inside, wearing a heavy knitted sweater and a mischievous grin. "Uncle Seb! Clara says it's time for hot chocolate!"
"I can never say no to hot chocolate," I laughed, closing my laptop and standing up.
I followed her into the main living room, where Clara was pouring steaming milk into large ceramic mugs. The golden retriever pups, now nearly fully grown, were snoozing by the heat of the radiators.
"I was thinking," Clara said, handing me a mug. "With the ports running smoothly and Viktor managing the city operations, maybe we could take a vacation. Somewhere warm. Just the three of us."
"A vacation?" I raised an eyebrow, taking a sip. "The big, bad wolf on a sunny beach?"
"Why not?" Clara smiled, bumping her shoulder playfully against mine. "You've spent thirteen years protecting this mountain. I think the mountain can protect itself for a couple of weeks."
May you like
I looked down at Emma, who was eagerly nodding, a marshmallow stuck to her upper lip.
"Okay," I agreed, feeling a profound sense of peace wash over me. "We'll go anywhere you want. The empire is safe. It's time we start living for ourselves."
