The next few days were peaceful.

Spending more time with the siblings, Spera started to gain a better understanding of their character and relationship to each other, making her more comfortable in their interaction.

Even Leon started to sometimes slightly raise the corners of his mouth, causing Lorain to suddenly profoundly thank her when she saw her again.

But something disturbed Spera. No, more precisely someone.

And this someone was called Rui.

Since the ‘big brother’ incident, he had started to actively isolate himself from the squad causing Spera to worry.

She had tried to talk to him, but he had just ignored her, turned around and suddenly disappeared making it clear that he wanted to have nothing to do with her.

She was saddened by that but having asked her big brothers about it, they also had no answer for her. They just said to give him time to work out his problem by himself and if he was ready to talk to somebody they would be there.

Later, by Spera’s request, Samuel and Leon had talked with Rui a few days later as the situation seemed to not be able to be resolved by sitting it out. But instead of resolving the situation, he started to increase his self-isolation.

And somehow Spera got the feeling that this was her fault. But she didn’t have time to ponder about it since Rui’s situation wasn’t the only thing that started to change.

The status quo had also started to shift without anyone noticing.

One afternoon, Spera had once again watched Samuel’s squad’s training, afterward, she and the three siblings walked together to her room.

They still had to talk about their further plans to resolve her parents’ situation, since any plans that they had till then didn’t work.

But what shocked them when they opened Spera’s bedroom door, was that somebody was already there.

Someone Spera hadn’t seen in a long time: Lidiana.

In an instant, all five people froze.

Lidiana looked a bit embarrassed, but after a moment she straightened and glared at Spera and the siblings.

After getting over their shock at seeing Lidiana in the room, the three siblings immediately moved in front of Spera, obviously for protection.

Seeing their action, Lidiana sneered at them.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the mutt.”

“What are you doing here?” Spera asked, angry at being insulted but also nervous at her presence in her room.

“I don’t have to tell you,” she said as if to convince herself.

At her answer, Daphne took a step forward, but Samuel hurriedly grabbed her arm.

Looking back at him he shook his head, signaling that they should be very careful in how they treated her.

And Daphne knew, as long as Lidiana was here as a guest, sent by the Draconian Queen, they as servants couldn’t touch her.

Seeing the situation, Lidiana became braver.

“Ha! Seems like the mutts know their place!” She said, insinuating that, since Daphne, Leon and Samuel were born from parents of different species, they weren’t any better than the mutt-blooded Speraenya that hid behind them.

Hearing that, all three had to try very hard not to leak their killing intent.

Spera however, being much nearer to them than Lidiana immediately felt the shift in the air.

Stepping forward she saw the frustration on their face that mirrored her own feeling of helplessness in this situation.

“Come here!” Lidiana suddenly ordered Spera.

Confused, Spera pointed at herself.

“Yes, I mean you. So not only are you a weak bodied bastard, you are also dumb? I thought after your speech suddenly improved you could finally be of use. Man, I almost feel sorry for your bastard father, but he couldn’t keep away from the tree-hugger, could he?”

That is so inappropriate to tell a two-year-old child … Spera thought, anger bubbling in her that she swiftly suppressed.

Analysing the situation, Spera knew she couldn’t defy her.

So reluctantly she took a few steps forward to stand in front of Lidiana.

Seeing her move, all three siblings wanted to grab her to place her behind them but a slight shake of Spera head made them pull back their already stretched out hands.

“Well, at least you have courage.” Lidiana said while looking her up and down.

“With few scales, you could almost pass as one of these disgusting monkeys, a half-elf of Solaris, if you just color your hair.

Looking at Lidiana, through her sky-blue reptilian eyes, like she had just realized how idiotic the other woman was, Lidiana’s anger started to grow.

“How dare you look at me like that?” She asked, making a motion as if she wanted to hit Spera.

Noticing her movement, Daphne couldn’t suppress her killing intent for a moment, making all four others choke on their spit as the atmosphere, for a split second, turned scary and intimidating.

Spera whipped around and saw Daphne standing behind her, her hair billowing behind her as the air crackled around her.

But as soon as they felt their sister lose reason, Leon and Samuel hastily clutched one of her arms each, of course being conscious of her condition they were careful to grab onto her sleeve covered arms, the dress material having been bespelled to prevent at least a great portion of her Mana to be released, shaking her out of her state but still numbing their fingers.

Blinking, Daphne looked at the others and saw fear and relief in their eyes.

“Sorry…” Daphne muttered and looked at her brothers in gratitude.

Still nervous her brothers looked at her in suspicion, slowly taking their hands off her arms and giving her a shaky smile.

Seeing that Daphne had caught herself, Spera gave her a smile and turned back to Lidiana, seeing her shivering in place while her face was a white as a piece of paper.

It took a few moments, but Lidiana started to regain her standing, shakily stoking her skirt and hair she calmed down.

Standing tall once again she took a deep breath, but this time she had lost the arrogant tilt of her head.

“Well, since even the ogres in Tenebris Silva didn’t want your mother, I shouldn’t expect a decent child to come out of her …. I feel really disgusting looking at you, why did the bastard have to shame us by making a mudblood with the treehugger ...”

As Lidianas insults started up again, Spera felt helpless.

She was just a small child, what could she do against a grown-up pure-blooded draconian, who was in her own words “Blessed for being chosen by the Queen.”

And that she should be grateful to even be in her vicinity.

Her helplessness welled up as she felt tears gathering in her eyes and her face heating up.

Looking down she hid her obvious feelings.

“Well, but at least he now has his retribution …” Her high pitched voice sounded again, tugging on Speras nerves.

“... really he sacrifices so much for this ...family … and now is stabbed in the back by the mudblood and the half-elf. I could almost pity him.”

She said. The shock at her words making Spera look up at her, ignoring the dark aura that started brewing behind her once again.

Seeing her eyes, which were glittering with unshed tears, a sneer formed on Lidianas face.

“Ho? You didn’t know? If it weren’t for you did you think that your father would have chosen your mother as his wife? He couldn't give up a child of royal descent even if his was a bastard’s mudblood born child. And with his marriage to your mother, you both destroyed his future no wonder that he hates you right now … At first, I thought he could have at least tender feelings for you being his child, but seeing the situation right now, even that seems impossible …”

Spera was rattled … did her father really hate her? but he said that he loved her … even if she hadn’t seen him for a few days … feeling confused she stared at Lidiana, one word repeating in her head over and over again.

“We destroyed his future?”

She asked as her body started to slightly tremble.

Raising one eyebrow, Lidianas eyes turned cold and cruel as if she saw an already wounded prey in front of her but wanted to play with it until it had no will to live anymore.

“You didn’t know?”

Shaking her head, Spera started to fear Lidianas answer.

Suddenly a warm hand touched her left shoulder. Looking up she saw Daphne stand almost next to her. Seeing the sorrow in her eyes she was sure.

“You knew?” She whispered. But since all four adults had a high enough cultivation they, of course, heard her.

Tightening her grip on her shoulder Daphne could only say a half-truth, they were still in front of an enemy.

“I wouldn’t say that Madam destroyed his future. She just changed it.”

“HA!” Lidiana laughed out loud. “Oh, that is a sweet way to put it. Changed it? Changed it! Yeah, sure she changed it. From being the third in line of the throne and having the prospect of having a wonderful fiancée and three mistresses to being banished to a small kingdom and only being allowed to have this one wife. She sure changed it, that whore!” Lidiana suddenly exploded and started screaming at Spera.

Frightened by her sudden outburst and terrified by the implications that she made, Spera shrunk back and a tear ran down her cheek.

Reaching for her, Lidiana grabbed her right arm hard and yanked her towards her.

“Aah!” Spera let out a pained gasp as Lidianas hand bruised her arm and the motion of being ripped from under Daphne's hand, made pain spread through her shoulder. Another tear fell but she gulped down the moan that builds in her throat.

“Lidiana!” Daphne screamed at the same moment when she lunged at her, but Leon and Samuel who had suffered in silence behind her immediately jumped forward and held her tight, Samuel being a bit careless and touching one hand to her exposed arm, receiving a jolt that made pain course through him, but him being her brother he had experienced that more than his fair share so he got a grip rather quickly, shifting his hand to her covered arm.

It was almost over. Just a few more minutes and Lidiana would lose interest in the princess and they could care for her. They couldn’t make a move, even if they wanted to rip her apart.

Terrified, Spera stared at Lidianas eyes that were only inches away from her face.

“You disgusting spawn. If not for you …” She started to say. But seeing the tears in her eyes, she suddenly smiled and straightened once again, sneering down at her.

“Don’t be such a wimp!” She spat out as she pushed Spera away from her.

Losing her balance, Spera crumbled to the ground her elbow hitting the ground painfully as a stinging pain shot through her knee, robbing her momentarily of her breath and making her freeze for a moment in a fetal position.

“You dare!” Daphne's roar thundered through the air as Leon and Samuel appeared next to Spera and worriedly started inspecting her little body.

The air crackled and small flames started gathering around Daphne, her hair billowing around her.

“Eak!” Lidiana squealed as she ran out of the room, but as soon as she crossed the doorframe, she slowed down to a quick walk, her pride not allowing her to ‘run’ away.

Spera still frozen, could see her retreating back through the open door.

Making sure that the woman had finally left, Daphne turned towards Spera, the door immediately falling close behind her.

“Princess …” She said, hurrying to Spera and kneeling in front of her stunned body.

she could see a small scratch on her elbow where she hit the ground, the shoulder straps of her dress not being able to hide the bruises that slowly formed on her arm and shoulder.

Immediately Daphne's hand glowed in a blue light and pressed against her bruises, soothing the pain that racked her body and making her snap out of her stubbor.

“Daphne … what d-did sh-she mean ?” She asked the shock still influencing her and making her stutter while her body started shivering.

“Princess … I can’t answer that. I would like to beg you to ask your parents when you are a bit older. But please believe one thing. Your father loves both you and your mother with all his heart. Nothing will change that.” Seeing her nod her head, Daphne gave a sigh of relief.

“Now could you tell me if you are hurt somewhere else?”

“My knee hurts …” She whispered, mentioning it made her aware of it once again and the pain started to cloud her mind once again.

Lifting the long skirt of her dress, Daphne saw in horror that Speras knee was bent in an awkward angle that was very unnatural.

Looking up at her brothers, they could see that something was wrong.

“Leon, Samuel … hold her down …” Daphne gritted out. Pain in her eyes.

The shock in their eyes spoke volumes.

Looking down at the little girl on the ground that looked up at them in pain and innocence, they knew that she had no idea what would happen in a few seconds.

Steeling themselves, both men held down one of her shoulders. Confused Spera looked at both of them until she could feel Daphne's cold hands at her painful knee making her gasp. Looking downwards at the woman that knelt in front of her, she looked at her in confusion.

“I am sorry.” Daphne uttered, looking at her in compassion.

“Wha … AAAHHH!” Spera screamed, as Daphne gripped her leg and quickly pushed the leg into its socket once again, healing it immediately with healing magic.

At the pain, Speras little body started buckling and Leon and Samuel held her down while gritting their teeth.

As soon as the pain came, it went away, leaving Spera feeling battered and bruised, even if there was none on her body anymore. Sleepily she looked up at Daphne that hovered over her nervously.

Giving her a slight smile, Spera closed her eyes as she fell in unconsciousness, tears streaming out of her eyes.

Gathering her in her arms, Daphne stroked Speras hair. Swearing to never let anything hurt this precious little girl again. Even if she knew that she could never fulfill her promise, the world was too cruel for that.

Suddenly the door was pushed open, Mesanth and Emerthelil standing in the door looking like they rushed over.

“What happened, we heard Spera cry!” Both said almost at the same time.

Seeing them, Daphne couldn’t fully conceal her disappointment.

Walking out with Spera in her arms she sneered as she walked past them.

“If you had been there, I wouldn’t have to tell you what happened.”

Looking stunned by her words, Mesanth and Emerthelil looked at each other in confusion.

Taking pity at them Leon and Samuel stepped forward.

“Master …” They bowed and motioned for them to enter the room, even as Emerthelil wanted to go after Daphne to hold her daughter.

The next time Spera woke up, she was in her own bed, her mother and father sitting on the edge of her bed, hugging each other while her mother cried on her father's shoulder.

“Mommy, Daddy …” She whispered, not trusting the scene before her eyes. She had wished for her parent's reunion for such a long time, that she sometimes dreamed of it only to be crushed by waking up.

“Sweety!” Her mother exclaimed, extracting herself from her father's arms and hugging her tightly to her chest.

The warmth of her mother's body giving Spera finally the reassurance that this was real, tears gathering in her eyes.

“I am so sorry,” her mother whispered over and over again.

Even though her parents never told her why they had fought, it being “grown-up problems” was the only answer she ever got on the topic. However, now that her parents were reconciled she didn’t place much importance on it. The only important thing right now was that they were back again.

Even if Lidiana's words still haunted her, she didn’t speak of it to her parents. It wasn’t yet time for that.

As such the months went by, and it was finally time for her birthday again.

She hadn’t brought up the courage to tell her parents about her condition. The possibility of her death too scary to even think about, making her repress any thought about her “Birthday-trip”.

Standing in front of the mirror like last year, she gave the little girl in front of her a smile of encouragement.

“You can do this!” She cheered for herself as the searing pain in her core started to spread.

“Aaaah!” And with a scream of pain and agony, she fell to the floor.