Everlasting dream (18+)

Chapter 66 — Sharing whispers (1/2)

[Silvia]

The sun finally showed up, shining through the trees and making the forest bright once again. The morning was warm, with a gentle wind rustling the leaves. Birds were singing, but the girls couldn't hear them over their quiet sobs, sniffles, and the occasional gentle whisper of Aster's name.

They sat by the cave entrance, their bodies trembling, their hearts hurting, and tears silently streaming down their faces.

Silvia was on her mother's lap, her head resting on her soft chest, face turned to the entrance. Nivalis gently stroked her hair, fingers combing the messy silver strands of her daughter. "Mom..." the girl sobbed quietly, lifting her head to look at her mother, "Is Asty..." she trailed off, unable to say the word, her voice cracking.

Nivalis looked down, her blue eyes meeting the girl's tearful golden ones. Her heart ached; the fear of losing her son, her baby, made it hard to breathe. "He... he will come back, honey," Nivalis replied, trying to convince herself as much as Silvia. The lump in her throat stopped her from saying anything else.

Silvia, whose expression remained sad, turned her face back to the entrance, tears streaming down her cheeks. She held onto her mother, with her trembling hands weakly gripping the fabric of her tunic.

Suddenly, they heard a quiet crunching sound, barely louder than the birds singing, making their hearts skip a beat. Immediately, they froze, listening intently; hope returned to their tired faces. Their eyes darted around, trying to find the source of the sound, until they saw a figure in the distance coming towards them.

— "Asty!" Silvia whispered, recognizing her brother's silhouette. She let go of her mother and slid off her lap, trying to crawl towards him. Her limp legs dangled uselessly behind her as she pushed herself forward, her arms shaking from the effort.

Nivalis also jumped up, rushing to her son. The relief and joy she felt disappeared in an instant when she pushed the veins aside, seeing the terrible state her son was in.

His body swayed from side to side, struggling to stay upright. "Mo...m, Silv-" Aster tried to reply, his eyes struggling to focus, his words barely understandable. He could only take one more step before collapsing on the grass, the spear falling from his hand.

Without a second thought, Nivalis rushed forward and knelt next to her son, lifting his head to make him look at her. "What happened? What is..." she asked worriedly, pausing as she pulled down the hood of his cloak, revealing his red skin.

— "A-ast... Asty..." Silvia panted, trying to crawl as fast as her weak body allowed. Her delicate fingers dug into the ground, and dirt stuck to her pale legs. "What... what's wrong with him?" she asked, finally reaching her little brother and seeing the weird state of his skin.

"I... I don't know, sweetie. He's all red for some reason," Nivalis replied, carefully picking up the unconscious boy. "Let's get him inside. Hold onto my neck, sweetie," she whispered, motioning for Silvia to grab her from behind.

Silvia nodded and held onto her mother's shoulders and neck. Her legs dangled as Nivalis slowly returned to the cave, carrying her children. Her quick footsteps and ragged breathing echoed in the dark tunnels.

After a short while, Nivalis carefully placed the children on the bed. "Why is he so red?" Silvia asked, sitting next to him and touching his forehead. The hot feeling made her quickly pull her hand away. "He's burning up!" Silvia gasped, looking up at her mother with wide eyes.

Nivalis didn't say anything. She placed her hand on his chest and felt his racing heartbeat and the intense heat radiating from his body, even through all his clothing.

"I think he did something with his magic; maybe he used too much of it. We need to cool him down," Nivalis whispered, quickly taking off her son's boots, pants, disguise cloak, and tunic. She revealed his skinny body, covered in sweat, dirt, and grass. The smell was terrible.

Nivalis quickly stood up, rushing to the fire to grab a wooden bowl, then straight to the hot spring. "Honey, check his skin for any injuries," she said as she approached the water, her voice shaky; the bowl trembled terribly in her hands.

Silvia nodded and immediately began feeling his arms, neck, chest, and tummy, searching for wounds or bruises as fast as she only could. "I don't feel anything," Silvia answered, still running her fingers through his hair to check if he hit his head.

The sudden coughing from Aster's mouth startled them, causing Nivalis to rush over to him and spill half the water in the bowl. "Aster!" she exclaimed, kneeling beside him, lifting his head slightly.

"Nnnn," Aster groaned, eyebrows furrowing in pain. His eyelids fluttered slightly. "I... I'm back?" he whispered, unsure, his throat dry. 

Silvia's trembling lips turned into an awkward, sweet smile, yet the tears continued to spill. "Yes, you are home, Asty," she exclaimed, leaning over so he could see her as well. Seeing both his girls brought a smile to his lips.

"Sweetie, do you remember what happened?" Nivalis asked as she placed her hand on the boy's chest, right over his heart. She could feel the incredible heat; his heartbeat echoed in her palm.

"Y-yes," Aster gasped, taking a shaky breath. "G-gobl..." he started to say, but his coughs interrupted him.

Nivalis grabbed his shoulders and helped him sit up, hoping it would be easier for him to breathe this way. The coughs continued, making his body shake and his eyes squeezed shut. "Easy, honey, easy. Deep breaths," she whispered, patting his back.

"As I... walked... back home," Aster managed to say once the coughs became less frequent. "I walked into... a goblin," he continued, pausing every few words to gasp for air as the heat in his heart grew stronger.

Silvia and Nivalis froze, their eyes widening. "Quick, honey, check his back for any injuries. I'll check his legs again," Nivalis said quickly, moving to his legs and running her fingers along his pale, naked thighs, looking for any wounds.

"No... I'm fine. I ran as soon as I saw him," Aster said, taking a few deep breaths and coughing several times. "He called for others. I don't know how many. I saw only... two. They chased me all night," he whispered, his eyelids getting heavy. "I tried to hide... in the bushes. Then..."

— "Why are you so red?" Silvia interrupted, touching his shoulder and making him look at her worried face. "Did they find you?"

Aster looked down and saw his red skin. "No... I just got scared being alone there at night. I started casting spells on myself to be prepared if something goes wrong," Aster explained, wincing in pain in his chest. "And used almost all of my mana because of this," he continued, taking deep breaths between each sentence, his eyes starting to water.

"Then," Aster continued, taking a sharp breath and trying to swallow, but the throat was too dry. Nivalis gave him some water, which he drank eagerly. He nodded at her and continued, "I heard them walking around the bush where I was hiding. I started panicking and gathered the last of my mana... But they just walked away without realizing I was there."

— "I don't understand," Silvia said, frowning in confusion. "Is this because you cast too many spells on yourself?"

Aster shook his head. "I tried to hold the mana I prepared for the spell, so I have it when the mist appears," he said, receiving a nasty flick on his forehead.

— "Are you dumb? Mom, you have no idea how painful that is," Silvia said, turning to her mother and rubbing her reddened forefinger. "I can't hold mine without using it for longer than a minute or two," she explained, looking back at her little brother and frowning.

"How long?" Nivalis asked, staring angrily at him. Her blue eyes glared daggers, making Aster gulp and lower his head. "How long, mister?" she repeated, her voice harsh and demanding an answer.

"Maybe... a few hours," Aster mumbled, and Silvia, not sparing her finger in the slightest, flicked his forehead again and let out a loud "tsk." He rubbed his forehead, looking at them, his eyes pleading.

"Aster!" Nivalis exclaimed, her voice trembling, echoing around the cave.

"I know, I know... It was stupid of me. I should have come back without the spell on me. It just... I wanted to be ready for anything. To run away if they find me again," Aster mumbled, closing his eyes. "I thought the pain would just go away... And it did, at first. But then it returned even though I had nothing left, and it worsened with time," Aster sighed, leaning against Silvia's body, feeling too weak to sit; she wrapped her arms around him, pressing against herself.

— "Maybe I try to cool him down with my magic?" Silvia suggested, looking at her mother with worry in her golden eyes. "It might help," she added, gently caressing his chest with her hand, feeling the heat.

"No," Nivalis immediately replied, shaking her head. "It's been a while since you practiced your ice. You could accidentally harm him, sweetie. Let's wet my tunic, and you try to freeze it a bit with your magic. It should help him cool down," she added, quickly removing her only piece of clothing and leaving herself completely naked.

She hurried to the pool, dunked the tunic into the water, and got back to the kids, her breasts jiggling funny as she moved. "Don't overdo it, just a bit," she added, handing her daughter the dripping fabric.

— "Okay," Silvia whispered, taking the wet tunic and closing her eyes. Her hands shook slightly when a cold, familiar feeling appeared inside her chest. Her heart converted the raw mana into the freezing, icy one she casts her spells with, quickening the little girl's breathing. It's been a while, indeed.

Her body felt numb as a chilling sensation spread throughout her chest and moved down her right arm. An uncomfortable feeling of something sliding inside her veins made her shiver. Soon enough, the cold mana reached her palm, making the damp cloth frost slightly.

"That should be enough, honey. Stop now," Nivalis whispered, placing her hand on Silvia's shoulder and noticing the subtle tremble of her body. "Thank you," she whispered, taking the tunic back.

Silvia slowly opened her eyes and smiled weakly, watching her mother press the frozen tunic against Aster's chest, making him sigh heavily in relief. Her head spun a bit, but she tried not to show any signs of it.

...

The girls took their time cleaning their Aster, washing every strand of his silver hair, and helping him wipe away all the dirt and sweat from his body. Then, they started massaging him. They rubbed his skinny chest, smooth thighs, shoulders, and feet for over an hour, doing their best to ease his pain.

And it worked. Aster's head resting on his sister's softest lap, breathing in nothing but her sweet scent, made the boy relax like never before. Their gentle, careful touch was just enough to help him fall asleep despite the constant ache in his chest. Nivalis sat at his legs, staring at her baby boy with a worried expression.

Although the cold compress helped his skin return to its usual paleness, his body temperature still made the girls nervous. His skin was unpleasantly hot to the touch, no matter how much they tried to cool him down. It just didn't seem to go away. At some point, all their clothing ended up being soaked and wrapped around his body, leaving the girls completely naked.

The summer heat inside the cave wasn't helping either, making the atmosphere humid and hard to breathe. The sun reached its peak in the sky, making Nivalis drenched in sweat, her skin glistening, and drops of liquid formed on her soft, pink nipples. But Silvia, despite the heat, looked much paler than usual and shivered occasionally.

Seeing this, Nivalis quietly moved closer and wrapped her arm around Silvia, pulling her against her soft chest. The goosebumps on Silvia's skin and the shivers were all too familiar to Nivalis, a sign that her little girl had used too much magic. "How are you feeling, sweetie? You're shaking," Nivalis whispered, her hand sliding down Silvia's back.

Silvia looked up at her mother and tried to smile, but her lower lip trembled too much. "Don't worry, Mom. I'm okay," Silvia lied, leaning into her mother's embrace. "Just a little tired, that's all," she added, closing her eyes and focusing on the gentle hand moving up and down her back.

"Hmm, you know that lying to me won't work, sweetie," Nivalis whispered, kissing the top of her head. "Gods, you're so cold," she mumbled, rubbing Silvia's back faster to warm her up.

— "Sorry," Silvia whispered, pressing her face against her mother's warm, soft, and slippery breasts. The wetness of her skin didn't bother Silvia at all. It was quite the opposite; the warmth of her mother's body was comforting, helping the little girl feel better and letting her forget about all the dizziness and fatigue momentarily.

Nivalis smiled gently, feeling Silvia's soft breathing in between her breasts. She patted Silvia's head, whispering, "Alright, you need to take a break, sweetie. Maybe try hugging him instead? He needs something cold, and you need something warm," she suggested, slowly removing all the damp clothing from Aster and setting it aside. "Here, it might help you both."

— "Alright..." Silvia whispered, carefully sliding out of her mother's arms and gently lifting Aster's head off her lap, careful not to wake him. Silvia crawled to the side and held onto his shoulders, pushing herself up to get on top of him. Nivalis helped adjust Silvia's limp legs, spreading her naked, pale thighs apart so they straddled his.

His soft member got pressed against her pelvic area, sliding against Silvia's smooth skin as she settled on top of him. Their naked chests pressed against each other, and his hot skin almost scalded her trembling body.

Silvia buried her face in his neck, taking a deep breath and inhaling her little brother's scent. She could feel his rapid, unsteady heartbeat as her soft nipples rubbed against his, all of the same shade of pink.

"Better?" Nivalis asked, tracing Silvia's spine with her fingertips, causing her little butt to clench repeatedly from the sudden touch. Her brother's soft member was squeezed between their pale bodies even harder because of it; his hairless, delicate balls had no space left, painfully flattened by his sister's weight.

— "Yeah," Silvia breathed out, wrapping her arms around her little brother's skinny body and holding him as close as possible.

"Take a nap, sweetie. You didn't sleep at all. I'll watch over him," Nivalis whispered, planting a gentle kiss on her naked shoulder. The little girl hummed in response, her golden eyes fluttering shut.

Nivalis stood up, picked up her discarded clothing, and took it to the pool to wash. She needed to keep her mind busy and do everything that came to her mind—clean around the cave, cook something nice, and maybe even knit.

Otherwise, she would end up sitting beside her children, crying at the sight of her son in such a state, crying that she let her sick daughter use her magic again. She had done enough crying the night before.

...

It was already late evening; the sun had long disappeared behind the horizon. The birds sang their last songs before sleep, and the crickets chirped their nightly tunes. However, Aster's condition hadn't improved at all. His skin was still burning to the touch, his breathing ragged, and his heartbeat unsteady. Nivalis, who had spent the whole day beside her kids after a sleepless night, felt exhausted.

Her blue eyes were bloodshot from constant tears and lack of sleep. Dark circles under her eyes made her look much older. Silvia, her little girl, had slept through the day and woke up only to eat and feed her little brother. She never once moved away from him, always lying on top of him as if afraid he would disappear if she let go.

"Wake up, my love," Nivalis whispered, softly shaking Silvia's bare shoulder and making her body sway against her brother's.

Silvia groaned and slowly opened her sleepy eyes, her eyelids heavy. "Mm?" she mumbled, looking up at her mother with concern. "Is something wrong with Asty?" Silvia asked quickly, raising her head to look at his flushed face, shiny with sweat. His forehead was covered with a damp cloth, hiding his eyes.

"No... He's still the same," Nivalis replied, pausing briefly to look at her son. "I just need a quick nap, sweetie. Can you watch him while I sleep?" she asked, looking back at Silvia and giving her a tired smile.

— "Of course, Mom... I'm sorry I slept so long," Silvia rubbed her eyes, slowly pushing herself up and sitting on her brother's pelvis, adjusting her legs on either side of his hips.

"It's okay, honey. Wake me up if something changes, alright?" Nivalis added, kissing her daughter's cheek and lying down beside Aster. She didn't bother to cover herself with a blanket because she felt too hot, using it as a pillow instead. "And don't forget to change the compress now and then," she added, looking up at the girl.

Silvia took a moment to stretch her arms and arch her back before answering, "Mhm... Don't worry," she whispered. Her soft bottom slid against her little brother's sweaty skin as she leaned forward and took the damp cloth from his forehead to wipe his face. "Sleep well," she added, glancing back at her mother, who already had her eyes closed.

Silvia gently wiped his flushed cheeks, cleaned his face and neck with the wet cloth, and then moved down his chest, removing all the sweat that had built up from her skin pressed against his for so long.

Her chest, as flat as her brother's, shone in the cave's dim light just as much. Noticing this, she began wiping herself while sitting on top of him. Her hips rocked up and down as she took her time to clean herself.

After refreshing the wet cloth, Silvia placed it on his forehead again, leaving his eyes open, and gently held his burning-hot cheeks with her cold hands. She took a moment to admire his cute face, almost a copy of her own. The worry never left her eyes as her little thumbs caressed his soft, flushed skin.

Silvia wished nothing but for him to get better, smile in a way only he could, and tell her some stupid joke or even tickle her. She wouldn't even resist, letting him do anything he wanted. Her little Asty was everything to her. All her life, all her memories, he was always there, a constant in this dangerous, chaotic world.

Her golden eyes looked down at him, watching his half-open mouth and the strands of his long hair stuck to his skin. She brushed the silver hairs away, tucking them behind his half-elven ears. Her fingers stayed there, gently rubbing his earlobes, their softness making her smile a little. 'He'd surely hate me doing it,' she thought, imagining his reaction, a chuckle escaping her mouth.

"Ugh..." Aster suddenly groaned, hands weakly grabbing her waist, his fingers dug into the smooth, delicate skin of his sister.

Silvia gasped in surprise, noticing his eyelids trembling. She held her breath, not daring to make a sound, just watched his eyes open ever so slowly, struggling to focus on her.

"S-Silvia?" Aster breathed out, his voice weak. Still sitting on his pelvis, her limp legs to the sides, she happily wiggled her hips in response, making his fingers slide down her hips to the sides of her soft butt.

— "Yes, it's me, Asty," Silvia whispered, quickly grabbing his shoulders to lower herself onto his chest. The way she had previously adjusted her legs made her little bottom rise into the air, her spine arching, showing off the small, smooth curves of her naked body. 

She pressed her lips against his, a tiny peck, their soft lips just briefly touched. "Are you okay? Do you need something?" she whispered after pulling away, staring into his shimmering golden eyes.

Aster smiled, his eyes struggling to stay open. "Mhm, I'm... fine," he whispered weakly. He could feel how relieved she was to hear that, her whole body relaxing. Still feeling sleepy, his grip on her little bottom loosened, and his hands began sliding down her outer thighs, dropping back onto the bed.

— "Wait, wait, stay awake for a moment, Asty. How do you feel?" Silvia asked, grabbing his wrists and placing his hands back on her pale bottom. "Does it still hurt? Do you want something? Drink, food? Go to pee?" she repeated, gently wiggling her hip, making him instinctively squeeze the smooth, soft skin, feel the shape of her little butt. "I can bring the wooden bowl for you to pee in. You won't even have to stand," she smiled sweetly.

"Just stay here. Don't go anywhere," Aster said, his eyelids slowly opening. His tired eyes looked into her beautiful, worried ones, their gold reflecting the fire's dim light. "Honestly... My chest hurts a lot, and it doesn't get better," he mumbled, his words barely understandable, his speech slurred.

— "Oh," Silvia paused, her smile fading and replaced by a look of concern. "Do you want me to wake Mom up? Should I call her?" she asked, glancing at their sleeping mother.

"No, let her rest. She must be exhausted. Just... please, let's just stay like this," Aster whispered, his lips forming a small smile though the pain was clear in his eyes. "It's a bit easier with you on top."

— "Of course, Asty," Silvia replied, her worried expression still there as she gently ran her hand through his silver hair. "Always," she added, feeling his heart beating against her flat chest, their nipples brushing as they breathed against each other.

Aster's tired eyes slowly closed again. "How much mana did you use on me?" he whispered, his breathing uneven. "You're shaking."

— "I'm okay. Don't worry," Silvia replied, her lips pressed into a thin line. She couldn't help but start shivering when he mentioned it.

"Liar," Aster chuckled, wincing in pain right after.

— "Shh, don't laugh," Silvia whispered with a small smile. "I cooled the compresses for you. It helped with your redness, so it was worth it."

"Thank you. And... I'm sorry. For everything," Aster mumbled, his eyes opening slightly to look into hers. "For not coming back in time, for making you both worry so much," he sighed, pausing. "For being stupid. If I wasn't so reckless, I could have avoided that goblin, and it wouldn't have happened. Instead, I just kept panicking, making the situation much worse..." he added, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

— "Asty," Silvia replied, wiping away the tears before they could roll down his face. "I'm here. Mom is here. All you need to worry about is the upcoming spanking and lecturing from both of us. Oh, believe me, mister, we will make sure you won't repeat the same mistake," Silvia smiled, gently kissing his lips and tasting their salty taste. "Alright?"

Aster smiled back, nodding. His hands continued to caress her bottom and hips, gently patting and squeezing his sister's smooth, round behind. It just felt wrong not to.

The two siblings lay like this for a few minutes in complete silence, enjoying each other's company. Silvia just let him play with her little butt, occasionally giving it a playful spank, and she just kept petting his head, gently playing with his hair. It felt nice.

— "Alright then," Silvia eventually whispered. "I'm sorry I woke you up. You can go back to sleep now. Maybe you'll feel better in the morning," she added, feeling his palms squeeze her one last time, tighter than ever before, spreading her young, now rosy from his caresses, butt cheeks and exposing what was hidden inside.

"Okay... Ugh-" Aster mumbled, his eyebrows suddenly furrowing. A sharp intake of air followed, his whole body trembling beneath her. "H-hot," Aster uttered through the pain.

— "Should I wake Mom up?" Silvia asked again, worriedly watching his pained expression.

"No," Aster breathed out, taking a moment to relax. The girl watched his expression slowly soften, and his trembling ceased. "I'm alright... Just a bit worse than usual, that's all," he mumbled, his eyelids fluttering open, smiling warmly at his sister on top of him.

"Mhm," Silvia whispered, letting out a sigh of relief as she felt him relax. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked, gently stroking his cheek.

Aster hummed, his golden eyes staring at her for a moment. "We should try the mana thing when Mom wakes up," he suggested. "Just the other way around, you'll try to break through my mana. Whatever is going on with my mana, your ice should help."

— "Ugh, I don't know... Mom said not to," Silvia replied, not liking the idea. "I'm out of practice, and she's right. It could hurt you."

"You won't, I promise. We'll start slowly, as I initially did, with the smallest possible amount of mana. Just a tiny drop," Aster whispered, watching her eyes dart around.

— "A tiny drop?" Silvia asked, looking back at him.

"A tiny drop," Aster repeated, nodding. "As slow as we possibly can. Your control should be much better than mine, and we'll both be careful. If you feel something is wrong, we'll stop right away," he added, watching her think, biting her lower lip.

— "Okay... If you're sure. I can try," the girl agreed, giving in. "I'll help convince Mom."

"Perfect. Thank you," Aster whispered, letting out a relieved sigh. "We can try a tiny bit right now if you want?" he suggested with a hint of hope in his golden eyes.

— "Oh, hell no. Nope. She will kill us both if I do something like that without her permission," Silvia chuckled, shaking her head. "Nuh-uh. Let's wait for Mom to wake up and talk with her. Alright?" she added, making Aster pout adorably.

His expression shifted into one of understanding, "Yeah, she will kill us," Aster chuckled, frowning right after as the pain in his chest intensified.

— "Sorry," Silvia whispered, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly, her face buried in his neck. "Let's try not to move much. Maybe it will help you fall back asleep," she added.

"Mhm," Aster replied, closing his eyes, feeling his sister's weight and the softness of her body pressed against his. "Tell me a story. Your favorite," he mumbled, his hands moving up and down her naked back, feeling the shape of her petite, delicate body.

— "Sure, but we need to be quieter. She's right here," Silvia smiled, moving her soft lips closer to his ear, almost pressing them against it. "Once upon a time, there was a girl named Silvi... etta?" she started, hesitating.

Aster moved his soft lips closer to her half-elven ear, tucking a strand of loose hair behind it, "Silvietta?" he asked, a small smile on his lips.

— "Yeah, Silvietta," Silvia chuckled, her body slightly shaking. "Silvietta, a beauty unlike any other. Smart and kind, you know the deal. But she had a brother named Astoor, who always kept getting into trouble-" she giggled, unable to contain herself.

"That's terrible," he chuckled, coughing slightly. "This Astoor... at least he's an older brother?" he asked, gently running his fingers along her ribs, tracing them and making her wiggle.

— "Pfft, no. Of course not. He's the little brother. And not just by a year or two, but five! Five!" Silvia snorted, squirming on top of him as he started to tickle her sides. "A-Ah, stop. I'll scream if you keep tickling me," she whispered, her body shaking from her quiet laughter. "We should not move, remember?" the girl managed to say, taking a few deep breaths.

"Alright, alright," Aster sighed, smiling brightly. His hands moved up to her bony shoulder blades and rested there.

— "Aaanyway," Silvia continued, bringing her wet, soft lips closer to his ear and brushing against it with her every word. Where were we?" she asked, her voice sweet, barely a whisper.

"Astoor," Aster reminded her, chuckling. His hot breath blew over her ear in response, causing a barely noticeable twitch of her half-elven ear, the very tip of it.

— "Right, right. Astoor. He was kinda meh, you know how it is..." Silvia began, whispering the tale quietly into his sensitive ear. She started the story of a clumsy, adventurous, mischievous boy and his caring, beautiful sister, who loved him dearly despite his endless antics and stupid ideas.

Astoor's sister always stood by his side, watching over him and helping him when he needed it, no matter what.

The siblings lay there, wrapped in each other's arms, sharing muffled whispers. As Silvia continued to spin the tale of Astoor and his stunning sister, Aster's eyes slowly closed. The warmth of her breath, the softness of her body on top of his, and the gentle, barely noticeable swaying of her hips were enough for him to forget the burning pain in his chest.

The sound of their soft giggles reached their mother, who slept nearby. A small smile played on her lips as she listened to their sweet, childish voices.