As Eirik and Amarok strolled through the dimly lit corridors of the castle, the faint sound of their footsteps echoed against the stone walls. The air was cool, carrying the scent of freshly extinguished torches mingled with the faint aroma of the feast they had just left behind.
Eirik walked slowly, his mind still processing the evening. The warmth of his mother's embrace, the laughter at the table, and the sense of belonging he had felt, even if fleeting, were emotions he hadn't allowed himself to experience in so long.
"Wasn't so bad, was it?" Amarok's voice broke the silence, teasing yet gentle.
Eirik glanced at him, his lips curving into the faintest smile. "You make it sound like I just conquered a battlefield."
