EMRYSA

Chapter One

Garrett, an elderly man with a dark complexion and average height, recounted the tale to identical-looking triplets.

"Oh no, so Nicholas died? And Baltimore won?" The youngest, Micky, eagerly inquired about the fate of Nicholas and Baltimore, to which Garrett replied with a smile, causing wrinkles to crease around his eyes. "No, son."

Micky's curiosity grew, and he asked for further details. "So, what happened?"

Gareth scratched his bald head, pausing momentarily before responding, "An old wizard and his daughter rescued Nicholas. He eventually fell in love with the wizard's daughter and chose to live with them. Nicholas and the wizard's daughter married and relocated from the forest to Equestrya, where they lived happily ever after."

"So, he is a neighbor of ours?" said Dicky, the eldest of the triplets, looked perplexed.

"He is probably dead," Ricky interjected, with an air of nonchalance.

The triplets, collectively called the Ickies, looked more like their mother than their father. They had curly black hair and kind brown eyes, and they seemed to be outgrowing each other in height.

"I'm going to start lunch. Im going to make something salty today. That story moved me." said Micky as he made his way to the kitchen.

"It's almost time for your sister to return," Garett said.

"She didn't go to any of her jobs. She's in her room, snoring," Dicky told his father, his tone filled with exasperation.

Garrett sighed deeply, he muttered to himself, "What am I going to do with her? I've reminded her countless times that a proper lady rises at dawn, not in the afternoon." With determined steps, he proceeded toward his daughter's room.

Garrett's footsteps echoed down the hallway as he approached his daughter's door. His face wore a mixture of worry and exasperation, evident in the furrowed lines on his forehead. He gently pushed open the door, revealing a disheveled room with scattered clothes and a hint of a snoring sound emanating from the bed.

As Garrett entered the room, he glanced around, his eyes darting from the messy piles of clothes to the unmade bed. A deep sigh escaped his lips as he approached his daughter's slumbering form. He stood at the side of the bed, his arms crossed tightly against his chest, a mix of disappointment and concern etched on his face.

"Ciara," he called out softly, his voice tinged with a touch of resignation. "It's time to wake up, my dear. You know you can't sleep your life away."

Ciara stirred, her eyes fluttering open, revealing her honey brown irises, as she yawned and stretched. Her curly black hair, tangled and disheveled, cascaded haphazardly around her shoulders. Rubbing her eyes to clear the sleepiness, she squinted at the figure standing before her, her voice filled with surprise.

"Dad!" she exclaimed, her tone a mixture of astonishment and confusion.

Garrett stood at the side of her bed, a look of both concern and impatience on his face. He sighed, his voice laced with a hint of exasperation.

"Ciara," he said, his voice tinged with a mixture of relief and frustration. "It's about time you woke up. You've been sleeping half the day away."

Ciara sat up, her expression transitioning from surprise to realization. She glanced at the sunlight streaming through the window, illuminating the room, and then back at her father.

"You are right, father," Ciara pretended. "I should not have slept for so long. I need to take responsibility for my actions." Ciara attempted to gently guide her father toward the door.