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### **Anxious Hearts, Waiting Shadows**
The village of **Black Hollow** had long since fallen into the stillness of the night. The **moon hung high**, its pale glow casting a silver sheen over the quiet houses.
Yet, inside **Modred's home**, the air was thick with **anxiety and restless anticipation.**
Seraphina stood by the **wooden doorway, her arms crossed, her gaze locked onto the distant treeline.** She had been waiting. **Too long.**
Beside her, Luna shifted impatiently, her hands pressing against her stomach—**a habit she had developed since becoming pregnant.**
"**They should be back by now,**" Luna murmured.
Seraphina **didn't answer immediately.** Her **fingers lightly drummed against her forearm.** She had never worried about Modred before. He was **the strongest person she knew.**
But this time… **something felt different.**
Then—**a flicker of movement.**
Her breath **caught in her throat.**
Figures emerged from the darkness, **their cloaks swaying under the night breeze.** Then, as the moonlight fully touched them—**Seraphina finally saw him.**
Modred. His **ashen-gray hair**, slightly disheveled, **his broad frame**, strong and steady as always. But there was something else. He looked **tired**. Not physically—**but the kind of exhaustion that sat deeper, pressing against the soul.**
Seraphina **exhaled sharply** before breaking into a soft smile. Then—she **ran to him.**
Before Modred could react, **her arms wrapped around him, her warmth sinking into his skin.**
"**Welcome home, my Lord.**"
The words were **gentle, playful.** But **her hold on him was firm.**
Modred, **who had faced horrors beyond words,** found himself frozen. Then—his **face turned slightly red.**
Dante, who had just stepped out from behind him, **saw it instantly.**
A **grin stretched across his face.**
"**Oh? So even the mighty Modred can blush?**"
Modred's **eye twitched.**
Seraphina pulled back just slightly, tilting her head, her **smile even more teasing now.**
"**Oh my, is my husband flustered?**"
Modred **exhaled sharply, regaining his composure.**
"**You talk too much,**" he muttered.
Seraphina giggled. "**I missed you too.**"
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### **A Night of Warmth and Family**
Inside, the air was filled with **the soft glow of lanterns** and the gentle **crackling of the fireplace.**
Modred sat on the **wooden floor near the fire, his daughters resting against his chest.**
Sylva, as usual, was **silent, content to curl against him** without a sound.
Lyra, on the other hand, was **a restless bundle of energy**, her tiny hands **gripping onto his cloak.**
Seraphina sat nearby, **watching them with quiet amusement.** She sipped her **herbal tea, a soft smile playing on her lips.**
"**She's just like you, you know,**" she murmured.
Modred glanced down at **Lyra, who was glaring up at him with fiery red eyes.** A **fierce spirit** trapped in a body too small to contain it.
He smirked. "**Is that so?**"
Seraphina leaned forward, **playfully nudging his arm.**
"**You're both stubborn. You don't like sitting still. You don't like being told what to do. And you always glare at people.**"
Modred **arched an eyebrow.**
Then—**Lyra let out a tiny, frustrated growl.**
As if she **understood what her mother had just said.**
Seraphina **laughed.**
Modred shook his head. "**That proves nothing.**"
Seraphina's **smile widened.**
She reached for Sylva, who was **fast asleep, completely unaffected by the noise around her.**
Seraphina pressed a gentle kiss to **Sylva's forehead.**
"**And this one?**" Modred asked.
Seraphina hummed thoughtfully.
"**She reminds me of you too. Not the grumpy side—**"
"**I'm not grumpy.**"
Seraphina **ignored him.**
"**—but the quiet strength. The patience. The way she watches everything, like she's already figuring out the world.**"
Modred glanced at **Sylva, whose tiny fingers twitched in sleep.** A strange warmth settled in his chest. He hadn't realized it until now—**but his daughters had already carved themselves into his soul.**
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### **A Warrior and His Wife**
Later that night, after their daughters had **fallen into peaceful slumber**, Modred sat beside Seraphina, **his back resting against the headboard.**
Seraphina lay beside him, **her fingers tracing idle patterns across his arm.**
The room was quiet, save for the faint flickering of the lantern beside them.
Seraphina shifted, **leaning her head against his shoulder.**
"**You don't have to think about war tonight, you know,**" she whispered. "**Not when you have this.**"
Modred let out a slow breath, his **arm wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer.**
For once, **he let go of the weight of responsibility.**
Seraphina tilted her head up, her **amber eyes searching his.**
"**You're terrible at relaxing.**"
Modred smirked. "**You knew that before you married me.**"
Seraphina chuckled softly before shifting to face him fully. Then, with **no teasing, no playful words**, she whispered, "**I love you, you know.**"
Modred **stilled.**
She had said it before, but tonight… **it felt different.**
He leaned in, brushing his lips against her forehead before resting his chin atop her head.
"**I know.**" His voice was softer now. "**And I—**"
Seraphina pressed a finger against his lips, **smiling knowingly.**
"**You don't have to say it. I already know.**"
And for the rest of the night, under the warm glow of lanterns, **a warrior and his wife found peace.**
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