The Women of the Colorado House

I. They're Coming Back!

Chapter 1 - Present

On that quiet morning when not even a cloud could be seen in the sky, it wasn't the nice weather that put smiles on the faces of the young women of the Colorado family, but rather, the arrival of a joyful letter that brought news they more than longed to receive.

"Iskra! Josephine! Calla! Wake up! Wake up! YOU MUST HEAR THIS!"

Being the first to wake up, as usual, Enya was always the one who had the responsibility of handling the mail that arrived at the residence.

So it wasn't strange that her voice could be heard throughout the whole house after she finished reading the letter, and ran up the stairs to wake her sisters to share the news with them as soon as possible without wasting a single second.

"Wake up! Great news! Daddy, mommy, and sys will be returning for the Rain festival in two weeks!" Opening the bedroom door as she spoke, Enya was more than happy, and it was quickly noticeable in her voice along with the rare smile that put itself on her lips as she pulled her twin out of bed. "Did you hear me, Iskra?! They're coming home!"

"... Who... is coming back, sys?" Using the common local word for sister, little Calla asked from the hallway... Her small hands rubbed the still slumber eyes while her blonde hair was completely messed up as if birds had fought over her head.

... Which was a very typical sight in every morning of the Colorado house since the youngest one got her own room...

"Daddy and Mommy are coming home, Calla!" Easily taking the seven-year-old girl in her arms, Enya answered her sister's question before kissing her cheek. "And they're not the only ones. Sys Sidra is coming home soon too!"

Repeating the exact words for what seemed like the thousandth time that morning, the nineteen-year-old was pure joy upon thinking that for the first time in a few long years, their family would all be reunited.

... The last time this had happened, Calla hadn't even turned five yet, so she could barely remember, besides the fact that it didn't last more than a few days before duties called their parents back to the battlefields when Hydras attacked the southern counties…

And it didn’t take much longer after this for an order to send their older sister to assist in the wars in the southwest areas.

"SYS SIDRA?!" Finally understanding what was happening, Calla's voice was the one filling the old house along with that of another young girl who had just awakened.

"Sys Sindra is coming home?!"

Josephine could hardly believe her ears as she ran to join her sisters before Enya confirmed the good news to her as well...

A smile even bigger showed up on the face of the fourth daughter of the Colorado family after hearing about how their parents were also coming back, just for Enya to see her happily spinning around the halls a few minutes later.

"... Are they all coming back at the same time? Are you sure about this?" Ending the joy of the other three, Iskra asked, tying her light brown hair into a small ponytail that was the only way strangers could differentiate her from Enya.

"Yes, I have. Their letter arrived this morning." And as simple as that... Her twin confirmed it, handing the papers that their parents and sister had sent through magic to them. "They all mentioned they would be arriving around the time of the Rain festival, which is... Two weeks from now!"

It was almost as if they had switched personalities since Iskra wasn't usually the serious one and Enya, this bubble of energy.

Yet, as she confirmed the reason behind such earlier celebration once again, no one cared about that before Iskra finally smiled as well, and she began to scream in happiness along with her sisters.

... Laughing and dancing as they ran along with the younger ones while Enya watched them amidst it all when she calmed down without knowing that the members of her family weren't the only ones returning for the festivities that marked the beginning of summer in her world...

The mercenary troops sent to assist in the battles across the southwest's lands also returned home victorious with the new Count of the region where the simple Colorado family home resided, ready to assume his place finally...

After all... The guild had only visited there twice before heading off on their next campaign after leaving the wounded behind along with the elders and children.

So, it was the first time that Gaspar would be staying for so long in the place he should now call home... Recalling his closes friends and acquaintances how there was only a ruined castle waiting for them, without the minimum care that someone should have taken while they were away with part of the tributes that remained in the county…

... Another reason why his friend from past battles and Prince found his recommendation more than adequate when His Imperial Majesty asked what prize he should reward the young Warlord on his return…

Smiles were everywhere on that joyful day, despite the different reasons behind them, while no one could imagine how it was also that morning that sealed the changes soon coming to the Colorado family house in a few weeks... Changes that would affect Enya much more than she ever thought.