Lothar, Traetos Province, Southern Avestria

As Mythra stood beside her, he felt intimidated by her stare. "Mythra, why are you so late? And what's that awful smell?" she asked in an intimidating tone, her voice sounding deeper than usual. "I'm...I'm sorry Grandma...I was just watching the Sanek, training near the river bank and I accidentally fell upon a heap of dung, lying nearby," he replied in a frightened voice.

"You know the rules, don't you?" she interrogated. Mythra just nodded, waiting for a smack over his back. The Roshai never believed in inculcating a habit of being disciplined by the force of hand, but eventually, she had to make use of the stick since Mythra had always been a kind of a trouble maker.

Surprisingly, it didn't happen. As he slowly looked up at her, her face was no more contorted in anger but it was quite mild. She let out a sigh.

"Fine. Your punishment for today would be to rinse your vessels along with the plates of others. Agreed?" she said. Mythra was astonished and he let out a grin over his face.

"Wipe that grin off your face, Mythra! It's still a punishment!" she scolded.

"Do I need to ask you about that wound on your forehead?" she asked. Her eyebrows were raised, waiting for an explanation.

"I fell from a tree branch while I was climbing," he replied. The Roshai knew that Mythra was always isolated and that he usually played all by himself. Ergo, it was cogent enough to believe this reason for the wound on his forehead. However, Mythra knew it wasn't the truth. He didn't wish to hurt his granny by telling her about the boys who had bullied him earlier in the day, gave him this injury, and later pissed on him.

Mythra was accustomed to the hurtful insults and curses from people in the village but granny's scolding made him feel good. He knew that her punishment aroused out of the affection that she had for him while the people of the village berated him out of hatred. An eventual smack from granny made him feel that there was at least one person in this world who cared for his well-being.

Even though she was not related to him by blood, she was still his grandmother. She was the only person in the entire world who loved Mythra in the true sense.

"All right I will clean the dishes" he replied, apologetically.

"Hmm...Good boy" she said, her hands still folded as she stood there, tall and commanding. As Mythra glanced, he saw someone peeking from behind his granny's waistline. It was a small girl who was tightly holding on to the Roshai's robe. She was extremely delicate and pristine. Her cheeks let out a pinkish hue that was conspicuous to her pale skin tone. Her green little eyes stared at Mythra.

Her hair was light brown in color and they merely reached below her shoulder in length. She was wearing an overflowing sleeveless garment, leaving her pale arms bare and cold. Her delicate arms were wrapped around the Roshai as Mythra advanced over the doorstep and moved closer to granny.

The girl was hardly five Mesha old. Her name was Aerytha Nelarii. She belonged to the house of Nelarii but the fates were just as worse to her as they were for Mythra. Although she was not a Caligor, she was still an orphan who was adopted by the Roshai.

"Did you get me something?" she asked him. Her voice was as melodious as the chirping of the Korka birds. Aerytha grew eager as Mythra smiled and took his hand towards his pocket. He slowly pulled out something which was concealed in his closed fist.

She slowly, but excitedly, stepped forward. Aerytha could barely reach Mythra's chest height. She looked at his hand curiously. Mythra knelt so that he could reach her eye level and then, he advanced his closed fist forward. The smell of piss didn't seem to bother Aerytha. Aerytha always accompanied Roshai in the infirmary and she was accustomed to the putrefaction from the herbal potions. The smell of piss was negligible for her.

"What is it?!" Aerytha asked curiously. Mythra could see her jubilant eyes, gazing at his closed fist as her small and pristine fingers attempted to open his fingers. Even though he was still in his adolescence, his hands seemed bigger and stronger in front of her small, adorable ones.

Mythra slowly loosened his fingers to reveal a beautiful flower with a long stamen. The flower had maroon petals which were as soft as her palms. Aerytha giggled as she snatched the flower from his hand. Her cheeks carved a wide smile over her face and Mythra felt joyful on seeing her happy. He eventually brought her a gift, when he used to return in the evening after the sunset. The Roshai gently stroked over her soft hair as Aerytha happily glared at the flower in her palms.

"Thank you Mythra!" she said, ebulliently. She wrapped her hands around Mythra's neck to embrace him.

"Off you go!" said Mythra as he patted over her back. Carrying the gift in her hand, she pounced her way inside the homestead, all cheery and jolly.

Aerytha was the only person in the whole world whom Mythra adored and loved. Although she was a Nelarii by blood and he was an Auctisila, their bond was just the same as real siblings, sharing the same blood. He felt protective of her just as granny Roshai felt protective of him.