Before long, Dylan and Mildred entered the room, and Lyra's gaze instinctively followed Dylan, her heart skipping a beat. She couldn't help but hope, desperately, that he would sit next to her. Her breath caught as he seemed to head in her direction, and for a moment, it looked like he would settle beside her. However, just as their eyes met, Queen Mother Danielle suddenly rose from her seat with a dramatic flair.
"Oh my! Prince Dylan! Please come and sit here. Come on," she called, her voice rich with authority and charm.
With a slightly taken aback expression, Dylan found himself led by the Queen to sit next to her, right in front of Lyra. Although the room was vast, with the flickering light of the wind gently swaying the curtains at the large windows, it felt oddly empty. The space was filled with the quiet hum of distant conversations, and the walls were adorned with grand vases, antique furnishings, and other opulent decorations that seemed to cast shadows in the dimming light. The furniture, two sofas facing one another with a table in between, appeared to be the only seating arrangement for their intimate gathering.
Mildred, who had no choice but to follow the social protocol, took a seat next to Lyra. Despite her disappointment at not being able to sit beside Dylan, Lyra forced a smile, exchanging a brief glance with him. His eyes held a familiar warmth as they met hers, a silent understanding passing between them. 'Perhaps this isn't so bad,' she thought, 'At least I can still see his face.'
As the evening wore on, Queen Mother Danielle seemed determined to draw Lyra and Mildred into conversation, finding subtle ways to bridge their differences. Meanwhile, Dylan sat silently beside the Queen, seemingly ignored by the matriarch. She only occasionally turned her attention to him, urging him to eat more with a polite, but somewhat absent, gesture.
Lyra, keenly aware of the Queen's tactics, couldn't help but smile inwardly. The older woman was trying to forge connections between the two younger guests, while deliberately sidelining Dylan. Mildred seemed less eager to engage, his polite responses marked with a faint unease. Despite his silence, Dylan had no inclination to believe there was any hidden agenda in the Queen's approach, though Lyra could sense the subtle manipulation.
"Mildred, Princess Lyra was telling me she loves archery," the Queen interjected, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she looked at Mildred. "You should take her to the barracks for a practice match."
Lyra quickly shook her head, attempting to decline politely, "Ah, no, I'm not that skilled. I just practice as a pastime, nothing serious."
But Queen Mother Danielle wouldn't relent, gesturing for Mildred to weigh in. Mildred, caught in the act of playing along, reluctantly responded, "Still, being skilled at archery is quite admirable."
Her words hung in the air as Mildred glanced awkwardly at Dylan, who had remained silent through the exchange. He then added, a hint of lightness in his tone, "But if we're talking about experience, I believe you're quite good at it, Dylan. I've heard rumors of your skills all the way here in Gaia."
"I hope they were good rumors," Dylan replied with a playful smirk, his eyes twinkling.
"Of course," Mildred assured him, his voice steady, "They were all praises."
The conversation turned once again, and Queen Mother Danielle's voice cut through the air like a thread. "How about some more biscuits, Prince Dylan? Please, indulge yourself."
As Dylan picked up another biscuit, Danielle shifted the topic back to Lyra. "Also, Mildred," she continued, her tone filled with unspoken significance, "It would be such a shame if our dear guest were to leave without seeing the hills of Thalia. It's our most sacred, breathtaking place. You go there by horse riding. Princess Lyra mentioned she's not quite adept at riding, but I'm sure you could take her there, right?"
Mildred's discomfort was palpable as he turned to Lyra, who replied, "You don't have to. When I come for vacations, I'll definitely show you. But right now, we're here for work, and we're on a tight schedule."
"I agree," Dylan chimed in, finishing his cookies. His voice was smooth but firm.
Mildred smiled and added, "I agree as well. And I must apologize for not asking sooner, but those cookies contained alcohol—added into the dough. Did you both mind? The food here tends to have higher levels of alcohol, which might be too much for some."
Lyra and Dylan both exchanged surprised glances, but it was Lyra who spoke first, her tone gentle. "Well, we didn't mind. But if the alcohol content was high, it might be a little strong for me."
Dylan shrugged nonchalantly, "It doesn't feel that strong to me. Maybe it's a small dosage."
"Yes, it's a very small amount," the Queen Mother added with a reassuring smile. "It's all been carefully considered. But thank you for your understanding."
"Well then, I will ask Falcon to show you to your rooms," she concluded, smiling as she motioned for the servant to approach.
"Thank you," Lyra and Dylan both said in unison.
Queen Mother Danielle then rose from her seat, signaling the end of the meal. "We'll see you both at lunch, and after that, we have a meeting. Till then, please rest, and if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."
Lyra stood up and, without thinking, glanced at Dylan. He followed her, walking side by side as they both began to follow Falcon, who was already several paces ahead. Their footsteps echoed in the grand hallway as the quiet of the palace enveloped them.
"So, how was your trip?" Dylan asked, his voice casual but laced with genuine curiosity.
Lyra chuckled lightly, a small giggle escaping her lips. "I slept the entire time, so I have no idea how it went."
Dylan grinned. "Same here. I was so exhausted yesterday; I had to get a little shut-eye myself."
Lyra couldn't help but smile at his candidness. "Yes, I noticed that from your hair."
Dylan's hand flew up to his hair in a sudden panic, smoothing it down as if realizing the slight disarray for the first time. His earlier efforts to fix it seemed to have been in vain, but now, in his rush to make it presentable, he had become a bit self-conscious. Lyra, seeing this, reassured him with a soft laugh.
"Your hair is fine. Don't worry. Though, I must say, it's gotten quite long."
She twirled her finger as a gesture to hint Dylan's hair which was tied in a small pony.
"Yes, I haven't had the time to cut it," Dylan replied with a sheepish grin.
As they continued walking, Lyra couldn't help but wonder about the state of the border, knowing it was a delicate matter for Dylan. She turned to him, her curiosity getting the best of her. "Is the situation at the border still dire?"
Dylan's expression grew serious, but he remained composed. "I have it all under control. There's just one traitor still unaccounted for, but my team is on it. They'll catch him soon enough."
Lyra nodded, wishing him the best of luck, but her thoughts were quickly diverted by a shift in their conversation.
"Wait," she said, suddenly excited, "I have to tell you about Hubris! You won't believe what happened. You should definitely praise my acting skills—I'm quite good at it."
Dylan, momentarily taken aback by her enthusiasm, chuckled softly. "Just a second," he said, holding up a hand.
He motioned to Falcon, who was a fair distance ahead. "Excuse me!" Dylan called out loudly, his voice carrying through the corridor. Falcon paused, startled, and quickly turned around.
"I apologize for walking so fast," Falcon said, bowing politely as he approached.
"Oh, no, it's fine. Thank you for guiding us," Dylan replied with a smile. "We just wanted to know the directions. We'll go there ourselves."
Falcon, clearly relieved, gestured to the hallways. "If you go straight from here, on the right corridor, the first room on the left is His Highness's. On the left corridor, the first room on the right is Her Highness's."
"Thank you so much," Lyra said, smiling as she bowed her head.
With a final bow, Falcon took his leave, and Dylan turned back to Lyra, his eyes twinkling. "Now, where were we?"
Lyra looked up at him, her heart fluttering. She felt overwhelmed, unsure whether her feelings were evident on her face. She had spent so long feeling like something was missing, a void inside her. But now, in Dylan's presence, she realized that he was the one who had unknowingly taken that piece of her. His voice, his comforting presence—it all made Lyra feel more connected than ever before.
'Ah, so this is what I was seeking all along. My haven.'
"Well, where were we?"
"Come here."
Lyra motioned for him to follow and sit next to her as she perched herself on the concrete railing in the corridor. On the other side, dense trees formed a forest, and beyond that, the towering, lush mountains loomed. Between the forest and the palace lay a breathtaking lake, its beauty impossible to describe in mere words. The turquoise water, mixed with hues of blue, was laden with flowers and trees—an unearthly sight.
"About Hubris..." Lyra began.
She explained everything to him as Dylan listened intently, only to remark, "Wow... I didn't expect that at all. Though it's a pity he was let out sooner."
"Yes, it is. If I could, I'd gouge out his eyes and cut off his hands. I can still remember... urgh, his creepy stares and his disgusting touch..." Lyra shivered, grimacing as if she might puke. But when she realized what she'd just said, she froze and turned to Dylan, wide-eyed. He, too, looked at her in shock.
"His... touch...?" he asked quietly.
Lyra gulped. She hesitated for a moment, then decided it was best to be honest. It wasn't as though she was in the wrong, and she trusted Dylan more than anyone else in the world. He knew her better than anyone, even her sister.
After a brief pause, she explained the situation in a soft voice. Dylan's fist tightened as he hissed through his teeth, "I knew I should've beaten him up a bit more..."
"Can we please not talk about him? I don't want to bring him up again. He's already been so annoying, asking for an apology while doing all those terrible things. I'll ban him from entering my territory at the palace the moment I return."
"You should."
Lyra sighed and changed the subject, "Oh! I just remembered. Did you read my letter about the black magic?"
"Yes, and I'm afraid I have no clue about it. I looked through some books, hoping to find a solution, but the only suggestion I could find was to visit a black magician here in Gaia."
"I had the same thought! I have a friend here who mentioned a trustworthy black magician. I plan to visit him, maybe tomorrow."
"Can I come with you?"
"...If you want to. But I wouldn't want to pressure you. You probably have other things to do, and—"
"I'm coming."
"Alright."
"So, is this why you couldn't come to my birthday?"
"...Actually..."
Lyra went on to explain what had happened and why she'd decided to pursue becoming the Queen.
"I see."
Dylan's expression seemed disappointed, but in truth, he was more worried about Lyra. He knew the challenges she would face ahead, and he promised himself he would do everything in his power to support her.
Lyra's voice softened, "I'm really sorry for not being there... I wanted to make it up to you. Would it be possible to celebrate your belated birthday here, just the two of us?"
"You want me to hold my birthday party here again?"
"No, no. Just a small, private celebration. Between us. Please?"
Dylan, who had been pretending to sulk about her absence, played along, turning his gaze to the side. "Well, the birthday's long passed, so I don't see the point in that..."
"Please? Just once. Hm?"
Lyra placed her fingers in front of his face, acting cute. Dylan couldn't help but chuckle.
"Those are two fingers. That makes it two."
"Oh!"
Lyra closed her left hand and then showed him just one finger from her right hand. Dylan couldn't resist her cuteness.
"Alright. What do you want to do?"
"I don't know yet. I'll think of something, and let you know soon. Or, if you have something in mind, don't hesitate to tell me."
"Alright. I'll be looking forward to that."
A peaceful silence settled between them. Lyra felt like she was the happiest she'd been in a long time. The last time she'd felt this at peace was when Dylan had come to visit them.
Dylan glanced around, making sure no one was nearby, then leaned closer to whisper in Lyra's ear, "I think the Queen Mother doesn't like me very much."
His deep voice tickled her ear, and Lyra felt her breath catch in her throat. Her heart raced as she whispered back, "What makes you say that?"
"It's just that I—" He yawned mid-sentence, and she couldn't help but smile.
"You're still tired. You should go and rest."
"No... I... yawn... am fine."
Giggling, Lyra added, "Go to sleep. You must have been working a lot before coming here."
"It's just that the Kingdom of Hulda is being a pain in the ass. I've requested father to give me the word, and I'll conquer them once and for all, but he signed a peace treaty with them."
"Does this mean they're breaking the pact?"
"Not exactly. The King claims he doesn't know who's behind the attacks. He says someone from his council has gone rogue, and that traitor is attacking the border areas to capture them."
"If that's the case, then they probably need the stream that passes through Helios and Anemoi."
"Probably. And if you look at it like that, it's not just one rogue man. It's definitely the King who's behind this. You should be careful too. The county near Boreas, which is next to Hulda, could be in danger."
"Thanks for the warning. I'll send a letter to triple the security over there."
"You should. And let me know if you need help. I'll send people."
"I should be the one saying that to you. Anyway, go get some rest. You look like you're going to fall asleep any minute."
"I said I'm fine. If I fall asleep now, we'll have less time together. We're already on a tight schedule, so I don't want to waste a single second."
His words made Lyra blush. "It's fine. I'm going to rest too."
"If you say so."
Dylan stood and offered his hand to help her up. They began walking towards their rooms. Lyra couldn't help but glance at him. Dylan, suddenly aware of this, looked back and saw a single tear falling from her left eye.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Lyra wiped at her cheek, confused. "What? Oh... I don't know why this is happening. I just feel so much relief after talking to you. All the things that have been going on back home... it's just too much to handle. Everything's been overwhelming. It was so hard being out of my comfort zone. I may have gotten used to it now, but the first few weeks, I couldn't stop shaking. I told you before... the path to becoming a Queen is so lonely..."
Dylan gently wiped her tear away, his voice firm yet gentle. "It must be hard, but know that I'm here for you. Whenever, wherever you need someone to talk to, I'll be there. You can tell me anything, and I'll listen."
Lyra nodded, sniffling. "Thank you."
"Don't try to carry everything at once. Take it one step at a time. And don't be afraid to share the burden. I'll be with you every step of the way. I promise."
Lyra nodded again, and Dylan, trying to lighten the mood, pinched her nose gently.
"Now go rest. No overthinking and no stress, okay?"
"Roger that."
Lyra saluted playfully, and they both laughed before heading to their respective rooms, saying goodbye.