Aurora stood on the castle's high balcony, watching her brother soar into the horizon. His figure, a mere speck now, disappeared among the clouds, leaving a vast sky that suddenly felt emptier. Her hands gripped the cold stone railing, and for a moment, she allowed her shoulders to sag under the weight of her thoughts.
"Do you ever wonder how he does it?" Livik's voice cut through the stillness like a thread of warmth on a frigid morning.
Aurora turned slightly, her composed face softening at the sight of the advisor. His robes were impeccably neat, as always, yet the weary lines around his eyes betrayed how closely he shadowed her brother's relentless pace.
"How he manages to keep going?" she asked, more to herself than to Livik.
Livik stepped closer, his footsteps quiet yet steady. "He keeps going because he believes he must. It's who he is, Aurora. And you know better than most how much he loves this kingdom."
