I wake up in my crib. It's completely dark in my room, and, since I don't have any windows, I can't tell if it's night or not. I believe it is night, as I don't hear anything happening within the manor. Assuming I'm safe for now, I climb out of my crib. Once I get to the floor, I reach down and plant my palms on the carpet, then flip my legs into the air. I hold myself in that position, a handstand, for a few seconds. 

I lift one hand off the ground, then set it in front of me. I'm looking at my crib, as I 'step' away from it. After a few steps, I can no longer see my crib in the darkness. I like to use the lack of light in my training, as it forces me to rely on hearing and memory, not just sight.

The lack of sight also disrupts my balance, forcing me to adjust to a new position as I find myself in it. I take another step, starting to gain speed. After five steps I'm basically running, just on my hands. I keep going until I think I reach the opposite wall, where I stop. I balance on one hand, reaching the other out in front of me.

After a few seconds, I find one of the chests along the wall. I set my hand back down, in front of the chest, and step up to it. I bend my arms a little more, then shove the ground away from me, jumping onto the chest. I look into the darkness of the room, as I hold myself above the lid of the chest, trying to see something.

I think people with blue eyes are supposed to be able to see better in the dark than people with other eye colors. I have green eyes though, and I'm not sure how good they are for my current situation. All I see is black. A dark nothingness with no hint of light. It's not nearly as dark as my time in that void though, the one I stayed in while I was dead.

I continue trying to see through the darkness, as I hop from one hand to the other. I haven't had much trouble doing things like this, not for about four months now. I would try more difficult things, if I could actually leave the manor. The hardest thing I'm currently able to do, is to build a giant tower out of wood blocks, but I can't do that now. If Zruna sees my tower again, I might lose my blocks.

I think Zruna was still unable to comprehend the other day's events, when she left the room. I haven't seen her since then, and I think she went to bed. No one else seemed to think anything was strange, so I assume it's fine.

I decide to move on to stretching, seeing as I can't do anything else for balance training. Keeping my hands on the chest, I lower my feet through the air. I keep my legs perfectly straight, as my feet move from pointing towards the ceiling, to pointing towards the opposite wall. I hold my legs there for a while, then continue lowering them. Eventually my toes touch the wood of the chest's lid, then slide past it and onto the floor.

I push against the lid of the chest, moving into a standing position. I only stay that way for a split second, as I let myself keep moving, falling backwards towards the floor. As I'm about to hit the floor, I slightly curl my back, leaning forward. I kick off the ground, letting my back hit the carpet, as I roll backwards, over my shoulder. I use my shoulders to shove into the floor, lifting myself into the air, just enough to finish my roll. My feet hit the ground, and I immediately stand, then kick my leg into the air. I let my torso fall back, leaving one leg pointed straight at the ceiling, and the other still supporting my weight on the ground.

I reach past my head, placing my hands on the floor, then let my leg fall in front of me, as I face the crib. I raise my other leg off the ground, supporting all my weight with my hands, as I move both legs to point towards the ceiling. I turn around, so I'm facing the chest, then tilt my head back, looking up at the crib. I lower myself onto my chest, with my chin resting on the floor, as I continue to look towards the crib. I slowly lower my legs towards the crib, moving my feet to touch the ground on either side of my head.

I stay in that position for about thirty minutes, before I press my hands into the ground again. With a bit of strength, I flip myself over onto my knees, now looking towards the chest, as the crown of my head rests on the carpet. I raise my torso until I'm kneeling on the ground, facing my crib, as I stretch my arms above my head.

I'd think my muscle strength is amazing to be capable of doing that, if I didn't weigh like fifteen pounds. I'm just one year old though, so I guess it is impressive. I stand up, quickly climbing back into my crib, as I hear footsteps outside the door.

Soon I see the glow of a candle, coming from under my door. The footsteps stop, and I hear the door handle turning. As the door opens, I see Zruna standing behind it. She has a candle holder in one hand, as she uses the other to open the door.

I sit in my crib, watching her, as she steps through the door. She quietly walks through the room, stopping in front of my crib. "Hello, Zuren. Happy birthday." She whispers, smiling. "Me and Gen will be getting you ready for your party soon. Are you excited?"

She seems to be expecting an answer from the one year old, so I don't think she thinks the other day was a dream. I guess I can't hide my maturity forever, but I thought I would at least make it until I'm two.

I nod slowly, as I look at her. She seems to take that as me being very excited, and she starts smiling wider. "Come, we must get you to the changing rooms." She says, as she lifts me into the air. I don't protest, as she carries me towards the door.

Zruna walks into the hallway outside my room, turning left and heading towards the changing rooms. The hallway has many doors along it, all made of the same wood as mine. They all have the same shape too, and there is no way to differentiate between them. The floor of the hallway is a dark wood, colored a deep, rich brown. The walls are also wood, the same wood my room's walls are made of.

There are no windows in this hallway, but there are potted plants and paintings for decoration. The plants are all some type of spherical shrub or bush, and they are each about one meter in diameter. I remember seeing white flowers of some sort on them a few months ago, but they are gone now. 

The paintings all depict beautiful scenery, things like lush forests, and ocean shores. I have always liked these paintings, though they make me want to leave the manor. Every time I have tried to leave, I've been grabbed by someone, and brought back to one of my personal maids. I don't know why they won't let me outside, but it's getting really boring being stuck in the manor.

Zruna takes a right at the end of the hallway, then opens the third door on the left. I haven't been through this door yet, but I assume it leads to the changing rooms. As the door opens, I see that the walls are the same as always, and the floor is just like the hallways. There are three large, full body mirrors at the far wall, and the room is lit by a dozen or so candles.

Gen is standing in front of the mirrors, surrounded by stacks of neatly folded clothing, as she holds up a small dress in front of her. The dress is my size, and she seems to be so focused on it that she doesn't notice Zruna standing behind her, in the mirror. I look at the dress, as Zruna closes the door, walking over to Gen.

The dress is black, with small hints of purple woven into the fabric. It is quite simple in design, just one smooth piece of cloth. It will probably come down to my ankles, but I can't tell without putting it on. I never did care for things like fashion, but even I can tell it's a high quality dress. I'm not wearing it if it restricts my movement though, it's just not happening.

Gen doesn't notice us until Zruna starts speaking. "That one looks good, let's have her try it on." Gen looks up, seeming to have been expecting us. She probably was, assuming Zruna was with her before she came to get me.

"I think this is the best one. I can't find anything better, anyway." Gen says, nodding. "Come." She walks over to the side of the room, setting the dress on a table.

Zruna follows, moving to stand next to her. Zruna sits me on the table, with my legs hanging off the edge. As she does that, Gen is holding the dress in front of her, looking between it and me. Gen seems to still be indecisive, but she soon steps closer, moving the dress towards me.

I sit there on the table, patiently, as they make me try on dress after dress. After about an hour, we hear a knock on the door. It opens a second later, and Ruza steps into the room. Ruza is the youngest of my three maids, being about eighteen years old. She keeps her hair cut short, not reaching past her shoulders, and her eyes are sky blue. She is just barely shorter than Zruna, who is about four inches shorter than Gen.

All three of them have a similar build, being slim, but muscular. I have recently learned that they are sisters, working here together to help their family. I don't know much more than that, as the maid that asked them was fine with the answer she got. They do their job well, though, and they seem to be dedicated to my parents. It makes me a little more hopeful that my parents are good people.

Like the three maids, my hair is brown, though it's a little darker than theirs is. Ruza immediately runs over, holding a new dress in her hands. These three are obsessed with making me wear cute or pretty clothing. It gets a little annoying, but I deal with it. They're doing it for me anyway, so I can't be too mad at them, but I still wish they wouldn't be so insistent about it.

It takes them another three hours, before they finally decide on a dress for me. I'm now standing on the table, wearing the same dress Gen was holding when I first walked in. This is usually what happens, every time they cant decide on something. I look at them with a bored expression, as they nod at each other a few times. They seem to finally be done, but they might suddenly decide on a new dress in a couple of hours. It's happened before, and I still don't know how they can be so indecisive.

I would prefer to wear loose pants and a simple shirt, but they would never let me. I'm also not sure if they think I care, only Zruna has actually seen me act more mature than a one year old. I don't think Zruna has told them about the other day, either. They haven't said or done anything to indicate otherwise, anyway.

The three maids bring me to one of the smaller dining rooms, and Gen stays with me, as the other two leave the room. Gen walks over to the table, and sets me down in a special chair. The chair is made to let small children sit at a table properly, and it's been really useful in the time I've lived here.

The room we're waiting in is small compared to the main dining hall. It has three large windows on the wall to my left, going from floor to ceiling. There is a large courtyard beyond the windows, surrounded by other sections of the manor. The courtyard is a simple square, with a single tree standing in the middle. There is a cobblestone path bordering the courtyard, but the rest is just simple grass.

The table I'm sitting at has six seats. Two on each side, and one on each end. I'm sitting at the end closest to the door we came through, though there is another door on the opposite wall. Along the wall to my right is a marble counter. There are a dozen wooden cabinets above the counter, and a few drawers within it.

The walls of the room seem to be some form of pale yellow wallpaper, but it looks different. It's probably made with a different process than it is on Earth. That's my best guess, anyway. Everything I see seems to be slightly different from how it was on Earth, some things more than others. I guess this really is a new world, though I was able to prove that the moment I saw magic.

After a few minuets, Zruna and Ruza return. Zruna is carrying a silver tray, as she walks in behind Ruza. She sets the tray in front of me, as I see Ruza leave through the other door. The tray in front of me has a small cake on it, about six inches wide and one and a half tall. It's just a simple circle, with plain white frosting on it.

I actually like how normal this seems. I'm only one, and it's not like they can take a picture to remember this, so there's no reason to be extravagant. Though I'm surprised there isn't a candle on it, or at least some indication that this is my first birthday.

I guess they don't do that here, and again, they can't really take a picture. I will probably have to deal with actual parties when I'm older, but I seem to be fine for now. It seems one year olds don't need entire parties held for them, who would have guessed?

After a while, Ruza returns. She walks back in through the door she left from, followed by two young men. They both seem to be in their late twenties, and have large smiles on their faces.

The one on my right has dark black hair, darker than any hair I've ever seen. He's a little shorter than the other one, but he's still at least six and a half foot tall. He should be around two meters in height, but I can't really measure him right now. He has wide shoulders, and I can see his muscles flexing through his shirt. The shirt itself looks formal, though he's wearing it very casually. Same for his other attire, as if being formal was just an afterthought. I can tell he's an experienced fighter, just by the way he stands, and the movements he makes. Though he seems to be very relaxed right now, as if the surroundings are familiar.

The other man, to the right of the first, seems just as relaxed. He is a step behind the first, as they step through the doorway. His hair is a really light shade of brown, looking sort of like dried earth, but still like hair. His eyes are blue, not quite sky blue, but still really light. The other one has the same deep, green eyes as me. I can't really tell from where I'm sitting, but they both seem to have really pretty eyes.

The man with brown hair has a similar body structure to the black haired one, though he is slightly thinner, and is definitely at least two meters tall. He too, is in formal, but casual, clothing. Both of them are wearing black pants, with a black jacket and white shirt. Their clothing looks similar to a suit, but it also looks nothing like one. I guess this is just formal men's wear in this world.

Both men would be considered handsome back on earth, but this might be normal here. I don't have many people to compare them to, so I'm not sure. They do look better than any of the male servants I've seen so far, though, so I'm going to assume they are at least above average.

The two men follow Ruza into the room, smiling wider as they do. "I this my new sister?" The black haired one asks, obviously not needing an answer. He seems like the nicest man in the world with than expression, and I can tell it's not fake.

The other man starts laughing joyfully, seeming just as happy as the first. "We're sorry we couldn't be here sooner, but we made sure we didn't miss your birthday. What kind of brothers would we be if we couldn't be here on such an important day?" He says this all in a joking voice, as if none of it is actually important.

I find myself smiling at them, I can't help it. They both seem so joyful and carefree, so... happy with life. I'm not sure what they do, or who they are, but they seem like good people. Good brothers.

I never had any brothers, or sisters, really. I was an only child. My parents died before they had a chance to have more children, but they probably wouldn't have anyway. I'm glad I have siblings in this world, it sounds like it will be more... likeable, that way.

My three maids stand to the side, smiling, as they watch my brothers come closer. "I'm Rendun, your oldest, and most handsome brother." My black haired brother, now known as Rendun, says. He is kneeling on my right, at eye level with me, as he says this.

"Don't listen to this idiot." My other brother says, lightly whacking Rendun on the back of the head. He stands behind Rendun, leaning over his shoulder, and smiling at me. "I'm Rumore, older than Rendun by three minutes. Most people say we are equally handsome."

I'm already about to start laughing at them, and I've been listening to them for thirty seconds. They really do seem like happy, loving brothers. I'm glad, too, that is already more than I could ever ask for.

Rendun stands up, stepping back with Rumore. "Will father be coming?" He asks, casually, as he turns to Ruza. He seems slightly hopeful, but is hiding it well. I wouldn't be able to tell if I wasn't used to dealing with fake expressions in my previous life.

Ruza starts smiling widely, hearing his question. "The duke will be coming, he adamantly refused to miss his daughters birthday." She says, laughing slightly. The other two smile amusedly at this, and I assume they were there when he said that. I'm not sure why they find it funny though, but I shouldn't think about it now.

I quietly sit in my chair, watching them. I still need to act like a one year old, and I don't think they join conversations. "That is good, I assume mother will be here as well?" Rumore asks, seeming expectant. His eyes brighten, as he sees Ruza nod, and he seems even happier now. 

They all start talking about random things, mostly involving me and the happenings around the manor. I listen intently, hoping for some new information, but everything they say is mostly known to me. The things I don't know are mostly unimportant, like the number of servants, and how often we hire new ones.

The door opens again after about five minutes. We all look up to see two people standing there, my parents. I've only seen them once, and that was a year ago, but I still remember them perfectly.

My father is a tall man, standing about half an inch taller than Rumore. He has the same blue eyes as Rumore, but his hair is green. A bright emerald green, from the tips all the way to his roots. I'm pretty sure it's completely natural too, but I can't be positive. His hair is very messy, though that just seems to enhance his charm. He has it cut above his shoulders, but it can still be considered long. He is wearing clothing similar to his two sons, just colored grey, and he has the same wide smile on his face.

My mother is average height, though she looks short when compared to the three men in the room. She has deep, vivid blue hair, and the same eyes as me and Rendun. Her hair flows over her shoulders, dropping down to her hips and spreading around her dress. The dress she is wearing is beautiful, with long sleeves and a wide skirt. The skirt reminds me of a ballgown, but it doesn't reach the floor, instead just dropping down to her knees. The outer layers of the dress are gray, but the rest are different shades of black and white. The upper portion of the dress looks normal, not having any frills or folds, it's just smooth fabric around her chest and down her arms.

My parents are both are wearing the same black shoes, and my mother has white stockings covering her legs. They both step through the door, after standing there for a few seconds. Everyone in the room stands still for a moment, before the three men all move at the same time. Rendun and Rumore both sprint across the room, straight towards my father. He does the same, meeting them halfway. It takes about half a second before they're hugging and laughing in the middle of the room.

My mother raises a hand to cover her smile, and my three maids do the same. I sit there staring at them, as they nearly knock each other to the floor. I could barely see them move, even though I've been training my body and senses since I was born. It's a little shocking, but I guess other people can have unrealistic strength too...

Soon the three of them stop hugging, and stand next to each other, smiling. My mother walks over to my side, moving around past the windows. She bends over, kissing me on my forehead, before moving back. "Happy birthday, my little Zuren. I'm sorry we can't see you often." She says, smiling softly. Her voice is beautiful, sounding just as kind as she looks. Looking at her, I realize that she is stunning. There is no way that she is even close to average looking, even if this world has higher standards.

I could say the same for all four of them, though the men are more 'handsome and charming' not quite 'beautiful'. Some might say that though, but I'm not them. My father walks over to me, kissing me in the same way my mother did. He seems to have no words at the moment, and his expression is somber. It only stays that way for a few seconds, before he starts smiling again.

"Are you not going to eat your cake? It is for you." He says, teasingly. I just look at him, because I'm a normal one year old. I had completely forgotten about the cake, in the events that just happened, but I don't really care about it. I watch as my father pulls out the seat closest to me, sitting on my right. My mother sits across from him, somehow managing to use a chair in that dress.

My two brothers sit beside them, Rendun sitting on my right, and Rumore on my left. "So, how have you been, father, mother?" Rendun asks, looking between the two.

"The same as usual, we have no time to do anything." My father says, setting his hands on the table. He sighs as he continues. "I wake up, and start writing. It's all I do until night, shifting men around, and ordering new supplies. I hope we can be done with this soon, but it's not looking good. How's it on your end?"

"Not too good." Rumore responds, similarly sighing. I have no idea what they're talking about, but it seems serious. I guess this is why I never see them, and I feel sad that it will probably stay this way. "Me and Rendun had to stay up for two entire days, just last week. There was a night raid, and it lasted until midday. We couldn't sleep for another few hours after that."

My father sighs again, looking down. I continue watching them, hoping to find out what they're fighting. I feel Ruza step behind me, then over to my mother. "Here, milady." She mumbles quietly, before returning to her previous position.

I look to my mother, seeing her holding a knife, as she reaches for my cake with her free hand. There is also a fork laying on the table in front of her. She pulls the cake towards her, then starts cutting it into small squares. I turn back to Rumore, as he starts speaking.

"We will need to head back to the fort soon, we're lucky we were able to come here at all." He says, sighing once more. He seems reluctant, but I can tell he thinks this is too important.

"Yes, we will have to get back to work too. How long can you stay?" My father asks, just as reluctant. Rumore looks to Rendun, nodding. Rendun nods back, then pauses for a moment.

"An hour, two if we push it." He says slowly, still thinking. Both Rumore and my father sigh at once, seeming depressed. Rendun smiles, shaking his head, as he hears this. "We just need to work harder, then we will have all the time we want." He says, looking at the other two.

"I'm already working every minute I'm awake." My father mutters, shaking his head. The three of them all seem gloomy, even my maids have sad expressions. I really hope whatever they're doing is finished soon, just looking at them is making me feel depressed.

"Zuren." I turn to my mother, seeing her holding the fork out to me. She moves the fork closer to me, pressing a piece of cake lightly against my lips. "It's food Zuren, eat." She says quietly.

I take a moment to respond, but soon I'm eating small pieces of cake, as I sit at the table. After a while my brothers and father move on to a more joyful topic, laughing and smiling again. I spend the next hour eating cake and listening to my family talk. It's a fun hour, but soon my brothers have to leave.

They leave through the door they entered from, properly saying happy birthday as they do. My mother lifts me from my chair, as my father stands beside her. They start walking towards the door I entered through, smiling at me.

"I'm sorry Zuren, but we have to leave now. We will see you again as soon as possible." My mother whispers, hugging me to her chest. My father sighs again, then smiles at me, seeming happy to be able to see me now.

My parents don't say anything else, as they slowly walk through the manor. Eventually we reach my room, and my mother opens the door, kissing my forehead as she does. She walks over to my crib, then hands me to my father. He hugs me gently, then sets me in the crib.

"We love you Zuren, we always will." He whispers, as he stands, turning towards the door. I see a hint of tears in my mother's eyes, as she turns to follow him. I watch them leave, nearly crying as they do.

After the door closes, I sit in my crib, thinking about everything I just learned. My family does love me, but they cannot stop working. There is something they are doing that is important enough that they must spend every second of their time on it. It makes me sad to know this, but there's nothing I can do about it.

It has something to do with a fort, a fort that was being raided by something. I have no idea what the raiders could be though, I don't know enough about this world to think of something.

These thoughts fill my mind for the next few hours. I think about my family, wondering how often I'll see them. I think about the large conflict my brothers are a part of, and about the men and supplies my father spends his time managing. I think about my new life, and how hectic it already is. Eventually I fall asleep, still thinking about it all.