Trafalgar was already on the ground when they reached him.
Snow crunched softly beneath his boots as he came to a stop in the courtyard, the cold settling into his coat while the weight of countless eyes lingered just out of reach. Before anyone else could approach, four figures broke away from the gathered crowd.
Anthera was the first he saw.
She wore a smile as she came closer, tired but genuine, the kind that didn't belong in a place like this. The cold mountain air tugged at her red hair, and for a moment, the courtyard seemed to fade around her.
"I'm glad to see you, Trafalgar," she said warmly. "How have you been, after all this time?"
Sylis stood just behind her, a little straighter than Trafalgar remembered, with the two small twins flanking her—one already fidgeting, the other staring up at him with open curiosity.
Trafalgar felt something loosen in his chest.
He really was glad to see them. Truly.
