The crackle of the fire was soft now—muted beneath the weight of stunned silence.
The spoon fell from Lyra's fingers and hit the snow with a soft thud.
Her body trembled.
That voice… that voice she hadn't heard in years.
Her head snapped toward the sound, eyes wide and glassy.
"M-Mom…?"
There she stood—Alea–Her mother.
Pale and thin, wrapped in a thick fur cloak, her hair disheveled from rest, but her posture still held an innate elegance. Those same icy black eyes… the ones Lyra remembered from her childhood, stared back at her.
Lyra didn't think.
She ran.
Snow kicked up beneath her boots as she launched herself forward, arms flung wide, heart racing. Her breath caught in her throat as she reached her mother and threw her arms around her tightly.
Alea gasped slightly, surprised—but then slowly, her arms wrapped around Lyra's back, cradling her daughter with a trembling grip.
"…You've grown," Alea whispered, her voice cracking.
Lyra choked back a sob. "You're awake… You're really awake…"
The campfire's warmth couldn't compare to the heat now pooling in her chest. Years of emptiness, questions, and silent nights had collapsed into this single moment. Her heart threatened to burst.
Behind them, Noah and the others remained still. Watching.
Scarlett's eyes softened. Layla looked unusually quiet, her lips pressed together.
After several long seconds, Lyra finally pulled back, wiping her eyes roughly. "You're okay now. You're safe."
Alea gave a faint smile. "I should be asking you that. What… is all this?"
Her eyes flicked past Lyra—and landed squarely on Noah.
On him… and the two other girls sitting close beside him.
"…And who, exactly, is he?"
Lyra blinked. "Oh. Um…"
Noah stepped forward now, calmly—but respectfully. He bowed slightly.
"My name is Noah Von Augustus," he said, voice even. "And… I care deeply about Lyra."
Alea's expression didn't soften. If anything, her gaze grew colder.
"I see. So you're the one my daughter has been clinging to so tightly."
Lyra blushed furiously. "M-Mom!"
Alea crossed her arms slowly, steadying herself. "Don't misunderstand me. I'm grateful you protected her. But I don't know you. And from the looks of it, my daughter isn't the only one receiving your affection."
Her eyes flicked to Scarlett's hand, still resting near Noah's thigh, and Layla's affectionate glance.
"I left Lyra when she was young. I didn't get to teach her magic or guide her through her cold nights. But she is still my daughter. And I won't let her be toyed with."
Tension rippled through the fire circle.
Noah didn't flinch.
"I understand your concern," he said firmly. "But I'm not toying with her. I would never. Lyra is… precious to me."
His words were simple—but the way he said them made even Alea pause.
Scarlett stepped forward next.
"Noah may seem surrounded," she said softly, "but none of us are here out of pity or confusion. We chose to be by his side. And Lyra isn't second to anyone."
Layla followed, arms casually draped behind her head.
"He loves us all, yeah," she smirked. "But he doesn't lie. And he never makes empty promises. When Lyra's hurt, he's the first to notice."
Lyra swallowed hard, stepping beside Noah. "I know it's strange. But I trust him. He never tried to own me or control me. He just… stood beside me. That's all I ever wanted."
Alea's gaze lingered on her daughter. Then slowly… she let out a long breath.
"…You've changed," she murmured.
Lyra smiled, voice shaking. "Maybe I found someone who made me want to."
Alea was silent for a long moment, then looked at Noah one more time.
"I don't approve yet," she said calmly. "But I'll watch."
Noah nodded. "That's all I ask."
Finally, Alea walked slowly toward the fire and sat down on a fur-lined blanket, still eyeing him carefully.
"Now, if you're done feeding each other like starved lovers," she said dryly, "perhaps you can tell me how all of this came to be."
The mood eased slightly.
Scarlett chuckled. Layla dropped onto her spot again with a dramatic sigh.
And Lyra, flushed and flustered, picked up another spoonful—this time not just for Noah, but for herself and her mother too.
That evening, with the fire crackling and the northern lights faintly shimmering above the snowy sky, they sat together—not as strangers anymore, but as something closer.
The cold air remained. But warmth… had finally returned.
To Be Continued...