EndlessReverie
Chapter 7: Control
𝚉𝚊𝚒𝚛𝚘𝚗
05/24/2025
A/N: the pace may be too slow, hihi. BUT ITS MY FIRST TIME WRITING AND LET ME WORLD BUILD. Now have a good time reading.
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𓊆 Eastern Solarium, Navalian Estate 𓊇
The place glowed with the gentle winterlight with light snowfall blessing the surroundings with a lovely presence. The winterlight was filtered through the crystalline panes and woven ivyglass.
At the center of the room where a thick fur rug embroided with the sigil of House von Navalia—a winter fox coiled with midnight and black threads—there was Zairon, sitting upright, back straight, and hands tucked in his lap.
He was just silently gazing at his surroundings. Curiosity of a small child like always.
The boy, just past his first birthday, observed the room with quiet detachment. He blinked once, slow and deliberate, as if time moved differently for him. There were some toys, wooden spheres, and vanities beside him — yet, he paid no attention.
Actually maybe a little since he picked up a fox figure from the ground as he held it firmly in his hands.
Meanwhile—near the balcony—was Aidelie von Navalia. She's wrapped in an elegant silksheen robe, she briefly glanced over her shoulder and there were a group of visiting families and friends during her days in Luminark. She slowly turned her gaze back on Zairon, fixated on admiring this peculiar child of hers.
It's rare for a child to be silent amidst the open space but it was a magnificent scene on how his white hair flowed through the breeze led by convenient vents and the winterlight made his hair beautiful, pairing well with the scenery outside the Solarium.
One of Aidelie's friends whispered. "Hey, is your child alright, Aidelie? He seems to quiet in contrast to your other children when they were babies," she chuckled while hiding her mouth with a fan.
"Shh~ don't mention it," she paused before continuing with a soft voice. "... But to answer you, he just simply watches. Even Ethreth and Yve had a tough time understanding him."
Aidelie saw Ethereth coming inside the Solarium and understood her intentions, she slowly turned her focus back on her visitors while sharing slight glances to her son.
𓈖 Ethereth's PoV 𓈖
I slowly threaded towards my little brother. I still don't understand why he's like that? He's a bit too cold, even for me.
All I can do is interact with this bundle of joy my mother brought to life while experimenting on him.
I sat down beside him as I offered my hand, I wanted him to at least hold me properly.
"... You, Zairon—" I paused for a moment, trying to figure out my next words before sighing. "—I am Ethereth."
The infant before me just tilted. He didn't even reach for my hand after I offered it.
I signed once more, is this what it feels like talking to a wall? I thought babies would be more appreciative, even Yve and Sofia was like that.
I saw a glimpse of Zairon back when he was a child, I finished my study session with my teacher. I remembered that I was walking through the halls and found Yve staring at our new sibling. His gaze was too intent—even for me.
"You just watch like father," murmuring to myself before hearing footsteps approaching fast. I turned around and found my 2nd youngest sister. Sofia.
𓈖 Yve's PoV 𓈖
I was bored. Heizen is too busy clashing his swords against dummies and adults, I can't find Sofia to annoy, even— AH!
Sprinting across the wooden frame, I entered the solarium. There I found mother and her peers, I curtsied before stealing my gaze towards Zairon—who was with my older sister.
I approached them and immediately settled beside Ethereth as she spoke. "Hey. Weren't you busy?"
I immediately responded with a hiss. "Sure, I was busy trying to twirl around like a princess."
Ethereth scoffed as she tried picking him up, I brace the arm that was attempted to reach out for Zairon. I spoke in a neutral tone. "What are you doing? I want to talk to him."
Ethereth bit back, "And I wanna hold him, you can talk to him while I cradle this little brother of ours."
I puffed my cheeks before sliding Zairon's frail body gently from the back of his clothes as I brought him in front of me.
"Nope, I'll talk to him properly."
Ethereth was about to respond with a firmer tone as she stood up.
Until—
𓈖 Sofia's PoV 𓈖
Dad had given me a task to relay a message to mom.
I slowly walked through the hallways, smiling at the staff and servants of the Navalian Household. I even gestured of a stabbing sequence to a soldier nearby as he pretended to play dead.
Today was so boring! I can't find Yve and Ethereth. I don't wanna talk to Big Bro Heizen, he's too scary. So maybe—once I'm done with relaying the message that dad wanted to bring to mom, I'll play with Zairon!
As I push the doors through the solarium, there were too many people! Maybe I was exaggerating but there shouldn't be anything today.
I slowly threaded to a part of the room where mom resides, I saw her friends as they smiled at me. I smiled brightly back at them before laying the letter at the table that I can't still reach!
"Oh you~ what are you doing here?" Mom asked as she caressed my head.
The feeling itself was so wonderful that I almost didn't remember what dad wanted me to do — yet I have to deliver dad's message.
"Dad told me to give you this!" I responded gleefully.
Mom took the letter before kissing me on the forehead. She's the best!
After she gave me her gratitude, she told me off to where Zairon resides.
And there what I found wasn't just a single boy — all of my sisters were there. They were bickering.
They really still are the same as I murmured.
I raised my voice with excitement, ignoring the two girls bickering. "Zairon!—" with a childlike voice, I sprinted towards him and almost got to him before I got blocked by the two sisters.
Thud.
"Hey!" I yelled back. "Meanies! What was that for?"
My big sister responded first. "You were too fast. You could've hit Zairon."
Then my second big sister added. "Plus, you're too noisy that his eyes gazed at you."
I puffed out my cheeks. "You're always trying to steal him like he's a book you can just borrow!"
Ethereth arched a brow. "A book wouldn't ignore me this hard."
Zairon blinked up at us both, his expression unreadable as always. Like he was figuring out a puzzle only he could see.
I leaned close, letting my fingers brush his hair—soft and white like first snow on the mountains.
"Zai~ are you there?"
He tilted his head again, slowly. Thoughtfully. His hand moved—tiny, chubby, warm—and landed on Ethereth's wrist, then slid to my own hand.
A breath caught between us.
It wasn't much, but it was intentional.
Ethereth blinked. "He… responded. That was a first."
Yve then twitched her eye as she muttered passive-aggressively. "Why you guys? I talked to him first when I was a child."
Ethereth smirked at Yve, her voice teasing—unlike her nonchalant self. "Maybe he's developed a taste."
Yve clicked her tongue. She flicked her hair and turned away slightly. "Zairon's just influenced by someone that's no-good."
"No good?" Ethereth repeated her words. "Says the one trying to reach my grades yet can't."
And as they bickered once more, I just giggled. They're a bunch of doofuses, dufuses, doreses? I forgot the word. They're dummies!
I inched slowly towards Zairon before looking at him with my most caring gaze. "Don't worry, I'll make sure they'll be peaceful once more."
𓈖 Yve's PoV 𓈖
"I don't care what you say!" I huffed, crossing my arms. "I will make sure that he'll learn every sword talent that father knows of! I shall be his teacher!"
"Big Brother Heizen already does that," Sofia piped in.
"I meant someone that does not scowl all the time," I said quickly. I flicked Zairon's forehead with the gentlest tap. "Don't end up like him, okay?"
Zairon blinked.
And then… a tiny sound came from his mouth. It wasn't a laugh, but it wasn't blank either. Like a word trapped in a whisper.
We all froze.
"Did he just—?"
"I think—!"
"He made a sound!"
I scooped him up slowly, cradling him against my chest. He was warm, but so light, like something that hadn't fully anchored itself to this world yet.
"Mom! Zairon made a sound!"
∗ ⋅◈⋅ ∗
Steel whispered through wind.
In the farthest training court of Navalia's upper grounds — where polished stone met frost-laced banners, a lone figure moved with purpose.
Strike. Pivot. Counter. Breathe.
Heizen's blade cleaved air again, muscles tight with discipline. Not a single motion was wasted—each swing, each parry, honed by years of obsession, of perfection.
"Again," he muttered.
He was tall for his age—already thirteen, already a monster in the making.
The frost coating his breath did not slow him. His grip was firm, not from raw strength, but because he'd been taught never to let go.
Not of his sword.
Not of Navalia.
Not of control.
He stopped mid-swing, sensing eyes. Looking back, he caught only a faint glimmer atop the estate roof—nothing but a flick of white.
A tail, perhaps. A trick of light.
"Tch. Even I'm getting disillusioned," he spat, and raised his sword again.
He pierced through the wooden practice dummy. Letting his concentration control his fury, utilizing his strength to make a deep scar to the wooden object—even with just a wooden sword.
But somewhere behind that blade's fury, deep in his heart, Heizen wondered—
What sort of man would his little brother become?
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𝙰𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝙲𝚘𝚍𝚎𝚡
A solarium is a sunroom, typically featuring glass walls and a glass roof, designed to maximize natural light and views.
Ethereth von Navalia, the eldest daughter and secondborn of the current generation of Navalia. She's perceived as a cold, calculative, and nonchalant — often compared with Heizen due to their intertwining personalities.
Yve Felicia von Navalia, the thirdborn daughter of the current generation of Navalia. She has tendecies to be sarcastic, blunt, and secretive. Somewhat a foreign world would call a tsundere.
Sofia Verencia von Navalia, the youngest and fourthborn daughter of the current generation of Navalia. She is the optimistic, bright, and caring sibling amongst the children of Asareth and Aidelie. Often known as the child who attained her mother's personalities — of which she uses to spoil Zairon.
Heizen von Navalia, the eldest son and firstborn of the current generation of Navalia. The cold and unsociable heir of the family, concentrated on attaining power amidst his mother's first tendencies to care for him.