The night is cold, with the occasional soothing breeze making it even colder. The warm fire in the center, with the smell of burning wood accompanying our conversation and laughter. 

With me, Queen Amleth, Nar and Sas, we sit in one of the many circles. There are other larger circles, some talking about their children, others about the gifts they brought from the capital of the Empire. The teddy bears there look very fluffy and cute. Even the pen that one of the female soldiers brought for her little brother looks nice.

As for our circle, the conversation is... I don't know. I'm sure it's something important, especially regarding their experience with the Emperor. It sounds like they sigh a lot, especially Nar and Sas. There is also talk about the gift, which makes me curious. 

"Will you get a gift from Aunt Amleth?" [Diana]

Sitting on her lap, I ask Nar and Sas the question. Queen Amleth herself asked me to sit on her lap and to call her something friendly, so I came up with that name on the spot. Some of them look at me like I'm doing something wrong, but Queen Amleth seems to like it, so I'm sure I didn't do anything wrong.

"We certainly are. We will soon become noble..." [Nar]

"Aren't you happy about it? Aren't nobles rich and can get anything they want?" [Diana]

At least that's what those drunkards keep saying when they're drunk, that they can buy swords, women and alcohol when they become noble.

"It's a pain, a kid like you won't get it" [Sas].

"I'm already eight years old!" [Diana]

"Still a child"" [Nar, Sas]

"I'm not!" [Diana]

Time passes and the conversation becomes more and more difficult, judging on the mood. Aunt Amleth plays with my hair less and less as the conversation goes on, and I can tell that they're in a bad situation. I can't understand most of it, but I'm sure this is something I shouldn't interfere with, but still...

"!" [Queen Amleth]

"Don't worry, everything will be all right" [Diana].

When Mom and Dad are still alive, they will hug me and tell me that everything will be fine, they always do that when I am sad. I don't know if it helps them, but I feel like I should.

(Fairy blessing. This child is just like me. No, her blessing is even stronger...) (Queen Amleth)

She hug me back in response, and it takes a while before she even release me

(She must be thinking about those two twins, isn't she?) [Nar]

(Definitely) [Sas]

(Hey, not too loud!) [Jean]

I can hear everyone, even what the good-looking sister is saying. Who are they talking about?

"By the way, Diana, do you have a destination in mind?" [Queen Amleth]

"Destination?" [Diana]

"Do you have no home?" [Queen Amleth]

"Home? If you mean my village, they tried to sell me away, so I run away from them" [Diana].

"!" [All]

Their looks hurt me... Why do they look at me with such disbelief?

"Wait, aren't you a noble child of the empire?" [Nar]

"Noble child? Did I look pretty, that's why you think I'm a noble child?" [Diana]

"No, you're a wild girl." [Sas]

"Sas, be quiet for a while!" [Nar]

"A noble girl wouldn't make that weird looking snake soup" [Sas]

"It's not weird!" [Diana]

"It is" [Sas]

"IT IS NOT!" [Diana]

I start arguing with Sas and start punching his back in response to his rude comment, while he continues to block my punches. He irritates me, so I stick out my tongue. 

"Don't do that, it's not nice for a girl to do that" [Jean].

"But he started it!" [Diana]

"Someone in big trouble" [Sas]

Sas glares at me with his evil looking smile.

"You too! Aren't you a little old to be bullying her!" [Jean]

The two of us, not listening to Jean, continue to argue while I continue to hit Sas with all my might. He desperately tried to block each one, which caused Sas's bottle of milk to spill into his food. Jean then gets really angry and starts nagging at both of us, which of course makes us stop our fist fight, as we are too afraid of making Jean even angrier. 

"Nar" [Queen Amleth]

"Yes, Your Majesty?" [Nar]

"Will you consider my offer of nobility, and if possible, will you adopt Diana?" [Queen Amleth]

"!" [All]

We all stare at Queen Amleth for a while. 

Adoption? For me?