Chapter 566: First Family Meal

"Then we have a lot of catching up to do," Julian replied warmly. "Good thing we have all eternity now."

He looked at both his daughters and felt his heart swell with pride and love so intense it was almost painful.

"Tell me," he said, keeping one arm around each of them. "Tell me about yourselves. Start from the beginning. I want to hear it all."

And there, in the courtyard beneath the statue that had been built in his memory, surrounded by the women who loved him and had waited for him, Julian listened as his daughters began to tell their stories.

They talked for hours.

They shared their stories—tales of growing up in a world without their father, of training under their mothers’ guidance, of helping Seraphine establish order among the creatures. Lyanna spoke of battles fought and won, of her rise to become one of the realm’s most formidable warriors. Cassandra detailed the political structures she’d helped create.

Julian asked questions, laughed at their jokes, and felt pride swell in his chest with each achievement they described. Lisa and Isabel added their own perspectives, filling in details the girls had glossed over, making sure Julian understood just how exceptional his daughters had become.

The other women gradually joined them—Regina and Gregoria, Emma and the rest—all wanting to be part of this reunion. Stories flowed freely, laughter echoed through the courtyard, and slowly, the awkwardness of centuries apart began to fade.

By the time they finally paused, it was already late morning.

"We should have breakfast," Eleanor suggested, appearing at Julian’s side looking refreshed despite her own late-night activities. "All of us together. A proper family meal."

And so they made their way to Julian’s castle—the grandest of them all, positioned at the very center of the circle. The dining hall was massive, built to accommodate exactly this sort of gathering.

A long table of polished wood stretched the length of the room, surrounded by ornate chairs of crimson and gold. Tall windows let in the soft morning light, and massive chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

They all took their seats—Julian at the head of the table, his women arranged along both sides, with Seraphine, Lyanna, and Cassandra seated closest to him. The sight of them all together made Julian’s chest tight with emotion.

Servants moved about their works—creatures from below the mountain that Seraphine had trained for such tasks. They were humanoid but clearly not fully human. Some had faint scales along their arms, others had eyes that glowed softly, and a few had minor physical variations that spoke of their diverse origins.

The breakfast itself was magnificent—fruits that grew only in this realm, breads that smelled of honey and spices, and meats perfectly prepared. Everything was grown or created within this world, blessed by the unique energy that Julian had woven into its very foundation.

As they began to eat, conversation flowed naturally. The women caught Julian up on smaller details of their lives and shared inside jokes and memories, gradually weaving him back into their family.

Then Seraphine, seated between Lyanna and Cassandra, cleared her throat. "So," she said with a mischievous glint in her eye that was pure Julian, "has anyone explained to you two about our family’s... unique dynamics?"

Lyanna looked up from her plate, curious. "Dynamics? What do you mean?"

Cassandra’s noble composure was firmly back in place after the emotional reunion. "We know the basics. Father had multiple wives, which isn’t unusual for someone of his power and status."

"Oh, it’s a bit more complicated than that," Seraphine said, her smile widening. She was clearly enjoying this, perhaps taking some pleasure in the fact that she was no longer the only one who would be shocked by their family’s unconventional nature.

"Seraphine," Eleanor said warningly, though there was amusement in her tone.

"What? They should know," Seraphine replied innocently. "I had to find out. It’s only fair they do too."

Julian sighed but was smiling. "Go ahead then. Though try to break it to them gently."

Seraphine turned to her half-sisters. "So, let me explain the complex web of our family to you. First—" she gestured to Eleanor—"Aunt Eleanor is actually my mother, as you know. But she’s also Father’s sister."

Both Lyanna’s and Cassandra’s eyes widened slightly.

"Wait, what?" Lyanna set down her fork.

"Oh, it gets better," Seraphine continued. "Aunt Regina is not only Father’s lover and wife but also his mother. They have a relationship that is both maternal and romantic."

Cassandra’s carefully maintained composure cracked. "You’re joking."

"I’m not," Seraphine assured her, clearly enjoying their reactions. "And Gregoria, our great-grandmother, is also part of Father’s harem. She’s his grandmother by blood and his wife by choice."

Lyanna looked between Julian, Regina, and Gregoria with an expression of complete disbelief. "This... this can’t be real."

"Oh, but it is," Seraphine said cheerfully. "And speaking of your mothers—" she gestured to Lisa and Isabel, "—they are mother and daughter. Both in love with the same man. Both bearing his children."

Cassandra’s mouth fell open. "Mother Lisa... and Mother Isabel... together... with Father?"

"Together, separately, sometimes at the same time, I’d imagine," Seraphine said with a shrug, making both Lisa and Isabel blush slightly.

"Seraphine," Lisa said with a smile, "you’re being intentionally provocative."

"I’m being honest," Seraphine corrected. "They deserve to know what kind of family they’re part of." She turned back to her wide-eyed half-sisters. "And all the other aunties—Emma, Cecilia, Ellie, Elvina, Sylvia, Dakota, Aria, LilIa and Kiara—most of them were married to other men before Father seduced them away."

"Seduced is a strong word," Emma interjected mildly, though she was smiling.

"Is it inaccurate?" Seraphine challenged.

"Well... no," Emma admitted with a laugh.

Lyanna and Cassandra sat in stunned silence, their eyes moving from face to face around the table, trying to process this information. Their expressions were mirrors of what Seraphine’s had been when she’d first learned the truth.

"So let me get this straight," Lyanna said slowly, her mind trying to organize the information. "Father is in a relationship with his mother, his sister, his grandmother, a mother-daughter pair that includes my own mother, and a collection of women he stole from their husbands?"

"That about sums it up," Julian confirmed with a wry smile.