"The Lord has returned! The Lord has returned!" A breathless messenger dashed through the sprawling grounds of the estate, his voice echoing with urgency as he raced toward the Grand Estate.
The messenger saw the moment Sienna-Rose emerged from the depths of the mine; the people around the guild were in awe seeing her come out from the mine along with her six guards. He ran faster to the estate, as Sienna-Rose was talking with the head guild before coming back home.
The news sent ripples of anticipation through the air, stirring the hearts of all who heard him. Inside the grand estate, the butler, Simmons, swiftly relayed the tidings to the mistresses of the house.
Their eyes widened with a mixture of hope and dread. Haley, sharp and commanding as ever, was the first to break the silence. "Is she conscious? Is she alive?" Her voice trembled, betraying a vulnerability she seldom displayed.
Olivia, standing at Haley's side, leaned forward, her brow furrowed with concern. "Simmons!" she urged, her tone a blend of desperation and impatience, willing the butler to provide assurance in the face of uncertainty.
"Pardon, madam," Simmons replied hastily, his demeanor respectful yet composed. "The messenger has merely stated that the Lord has returned. He did not specify her condition. We must wait for her arrival to ascertain the truth."
Moments later, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the estate's corridors. Sophia and Claire burst into the room, having raced in from the outside, because they were not in the estate before. Their faces, etched with worry, mirrored the tension that hung thick in the air.
"Haley! Our wife?" Sophia's voice was filled with urgency, her eyes scanning the room for any sign of her beloved Sienna-Rose.
Claire, usually expressive, remained silent, her gaze shifting between Olivia and Simmons with an intensity that spoke volumes. The unspoken question lingered in the air, heavy with anticipation. "We don't know yet," Olivia replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "Let's wait for her."
As they stood together, an unsettling silence enveloped them, and the four women were drawn back to a haunting memory. They recalled the last time Sienna-Rose had returned home — battered and barely conscious, her body filled with bruises and wounds, the very essence of life hanging by a thread. It had been a miracle that she had awakened at all, her formidable spirit healing her injuries as if by sheer willpower alone.
But the specter of that memory loomed large, casting a shadow over their hearts. They shuddered at the thought of facing Sienna-Rose again in such a state, the image of a half-dead sorceress too painful to bear. The vulnerabilities of a widow, especially one of a sorceress, were not lost on them; society often treated such women as trophies, mere vessels of wealth and power to be claimed by the nobility.
As the minutes stretched into what felt like hours, the weight of their shared fears pressed upon them. Each heartbeat echoed the unspoken dread of what lay ahead. Would Sienna-Rose return as the triumphant sorceress they had always known, or would she arrive once more as a shattered remnant of her former self?
They exchanged glances, each woman's heart a battleground of hope and despair, as they waited for the inevitable arrival of their beloved. And after a long wait, the gate of the estate opened, Sienna-Rose coming on her horse along with the six guards, unscathed, just looking tired.
As Sienna-Rose rode through the gates of the estate, her weary form atop the horse, the wives and families of her guards fell to their knees in reverent praise. Relief and joy painted their features, tears streaming down their faces as they witnessed the safe return of their beloved.
Behind the sorceress, five large wagons followed, their contents shrouded in mystery. At the sight of these wagons, Sophia crumpled to the ground, her body wracked with sobs of both anguish and elation. Haley and Claire were quick to gather her into their arms, offering comfort and solace.
"She brought them back, Sophia," Claire murmured softly, her own eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Your parents—our wife has brought them home."
Olivia stood transfixed, her gaze fixed upon the unexpected procession, a profound shift in her expression. "She's truly changed," she breathed, the words barely audible, as if she were speaking more to herself than to the others.
Sienna-Rose's heart swelled with warmth as her horse came to a gentle stop in front of the estate. The familiar sight of her four beloved wives brought a radiant smile to her lips, and with a graceful dismount, she approached them. "I'm home, my dearest wives," she declared, offering a slight bow that was both playful and reverent.
In an instant, Olivia broke free from the confines of caution and raced into her arms, her voice laced with a mixture of relief and concern. "What took you so long?" Her words were nearly a plea, a question that bore the weight of their long separation.
With a soft chuckle, Sienna-Rose wrapped her arms around Olivia, embracing her tightly. "Sorry, you've been waiting, right? I'm home now, Livia." The affectionate nickname slipped from her lips like a sweet melody, one that Olivia had never heard before. For a fleeting moment, it made her heart flutter, a sensation both tender and exhilarating.
Turning her attention to Sophia, still kneeling on the ground, Sienna-Rose knelt before her, her eyes filled with understanding. "Sofie," she said gently, "I'm home. I brought your parents home too, as promised." The sincerity in her voice was a balm to Sophia's wounded heart, but the tears continued to flow unabated.
As Sophia wept, Sienna-Rose's touch was soft and reassuring as her fingers caressed the faces of Claire and Haley. "I'm glad you two look healthy and happier than the last time I saw your faces." The warmth in her gaze was a contrast to the cold shadows of the past.
"It's because you came back home alive!" Claire retorted, her voice edged with both relief and the remnants of anxiety, but it quickly gave way to her own tears, echoing the joy of the moment.
Suddenly, Sophia surged forward, jumping into Sienna-Rose's arms with abandon, her cries filling the air as she buried her face against her chest. Sienna-Rose, taken by surprise, could only laugh softly as they sank to the ground together. "Oh my," Haley murmured, her eyes wide with concern, yet her heart swelled at the sight of their reunion.
"Thank you, thank you!" Sophia sobbed, her voice thick with emotion. "I promise to be truthful and faithful to you for my whole life." The raw sincerity in her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of her devotion.
Sienna-Rose raised an eyebrow in playful disbelief, a smirk dancing on her lips. "Are you saying you were not as faithful before?" She teased, unable to contain a chuckle that bubbled forth, lightening the atmosphere.
"Shut up! Don't ruin the moment!" Sophia shot back, her cheeks flushing with a mix of embarrassment and affection, the laughter in her voice mingling with her tears.
The three wagons in the estate's ground, each carrying a solemn burden—seven caskets, with shreds of clothing still clinging to them, a poignant reminder of their former owners. As the families approached, three of them claimed the caskets as those of their lost father, brother, and sister.
Sophia stared at the caskets that held the remains of her beloved parents, her heart heavy with grief. Sienna-Rose gently advised Sophia against opening the caskets, knowing it would be better to preserve the cherished memories of her parents as they were.
On the top of her mother's casket, Sophia found the small knife her mother had always carried, and within her father's pocket watch, a treasured photograph of the two of them together.
"We'll bury them in the family graveyard," Sienna-Rose announced, her voice laced with solemnity. "A priest is on the way to perform the rites." She then turned to Simmons, instructing him to make the necessary preparations. "As for the other two, they will be buried properly in the town graveyard."
Sophia struggled to find the words to express her gratitude. "I don't know what to say or how to repay all of this," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion.
Sienna-Rose's gaze softened as she reached out to gently flick Sophia's forehead. "You're my wife," she said simply. "I don't need you to return anything. Just be happy and healthy—that's what's truly important."
Curious, Claire spoke up, "And the other two wagons?"
Sienna-Rose's lips curled into a proud smile. "Oh, that's the high-quality monster byproduct," she revealed. "For Sophia to sell. The low-quality ones I've already sold to the guild."
Beaming with satisfaction, Sienna-Rose proclaimed, "I told you I'd make us rich."