Happy voices could be heard from behind the tall gates. Ren reached out and pressed the doorbell.
The heavy gate opened quickly, he could smell the fresh green scent, and he saw a familiar face peeking from behind the door.
Kestrel wasn't wearing the pretty dress from dinner, instead, she was in combat clothes just like Ren's. Her black hair was tied up, and the street light made her sparkly eyes shine.
In her eyes, Ren saw himself and the deep garden behind her - it felt like a quiet chat between the smell of flowers and the shadowy leaves.
"I'm not too late, am I?" Ren said, smiling.
...
Mantidale was a long way from the Imperial Nexus, but people could get there straight by a blimp that flew every couple of weeks.
