Inside the humble nipa hut on the far outskirts of a walled city,
a young maid held a sleeping infant close, her brown wings fluttering faintly with each movement.
"Rin," a quiet voice called from the bed.
She froze for a moment before answering, her voice soft and unsure. "Ah—sorry, Miss Laya," she stammered, carefully handing the infant over. "H-here he is…"
Laya smiled faintly, her golden hair damp and clinging to her cheeks as she reached for the child.
As she drew the baby close, her breath hitched slightly, and she exhaled shakily, comforted by the weight of him in her arms.
"Rin, you don't have to call me 'Miss,'" Laya said with a soft, warm laugh. "We're all just maids here, there's no need for titles.
"I-I know… it's just…" Rin's voice trailed off as she lowered her eyes, her hands nervously twisting the fabric of her uniform. "It just feels strange not to…"
Laya shook her head with an affectionate smile, then adjusted the blanket around the infant's small body. His soft breaths rose and fell, warming the space between them.
"What's his name, Miss Laya?" Rin asked softly.
"Archus," Laya whispered. "But… you can call him Arch."
Rin's face lit up. "Arch… That's a beautiful name."
Laya's gaze wandered to the low wooden beams above them.
"When I was young," Laya murmured, her voice distant, as though lost in memory, "my family lived in a forest city. It was hidden beneath towering trees—so tall, their tops were lost to the sky."
Rin sat down beside the bed.
"Our home had this arch in the center. Old and strong. Everything leaned on it—walls, beams, shelves. Even in the fiercest storms, it held."
She paused for a moment, her hand brushing gently through her son's hair.
"One day... the city was attacked. The flames consumed everything. My kin scattered, or worse. But that arch—when the fires faded, it was still there, standing firm."
She looked down at the boy in her arms, her eyes softening with a quiet tenderness.
"They found me beneath it. I named him Archus... so he might be like that arch—something that stands strong, even when the world around him falls apart."
Rin's hands tightened in her lap. "That name… it holds so much meaning, doesn't it?"
Laya smiled faintly, her gaze tender. "It's more than a name. It's a hope... a prayer, really."
She leaned down and kissed the baby's brow softly, full of love and quiet devotion.
"Welcome to the world, Archus." she whispered.
Rin let out a soft, light giggle. "Welcome to the world, baby Arch."
---
From the far side of the room came a gentle rustling.
"All done," came a calm, measured voice.
A woman with dark hair tied in a neat bun rose from a small table, wiping her hands carefully. A pair of small deer-like antlers peeked from her head, and her uniform bore the signs of a day's work—stains on her cloth, sleeves rolled up, and movements steady with purpose.
She closed a wooden medical case and stretched her back.
"I'll head back to the mansion now. Rin, stay with her—make sure she gets some rest."
Laya looked up at her. "Thank you, Lyn. I'm sorry for keeping you here longer than necessary."
"It's nothing," Lyn replied, giving a short bow. "It's what we do."
She stepped toward the door, her movements deliberate and calm.
"Miss Lyndis?" Rin called hesitantly.
Lyndis paused mid-step, her hand resting briefly on the doorframe, but she didn't turn back.
"Just take care of her. I'll handle everything else," she said simply with a steady voice. Then, with a quiet click, she slipped out the door.
The door clicked shut behind her, and a cold breeze slipped into the room.
Rin stood still for a moment, staring at the closed door. Then she looked at Laya and Arch, curled together beneath the woven blankets.
She walked over quietly and adjusted the corner of the cloth.
Outside, the wind stirred the trees. Moonlight filtered through thinning clouds.
Within the little hut, wrapped in warmth and silence,
a new life had begun.