"Sometimes, a home is not where you are born, but where you choose to belong."
Kael stood at the edge of the forest, his sharp golden eyes fixed on Evanna. The village hummed with quiet activity around them as the animals carried supplies and cleared debris. A once-abandoned place was coming to life again, transformed by Evanna's determination and the strange bond she shared with the beasts of the Wildlands.
"You win," Kael said at last, his voice soft but tinged with amusement.
Evanna raised an eyebrow at him. "I usually do. What am I winning this time?"
Kael smirked, gesturing to the village bustling with energy. "I'll stay. If this is where you're happiest, then I'll live here with you. But I'm warning you," he added, a playful glint in his eyes, "if a single rabbit chews through my boots, they're all getting evicted."
Evanna chuckled, crossing her arms. "Glow would never allow it."
At that moment, the fox-beast in question yipped, as if in agreement, while Hoppe hopped by with a bundle of herbs in its mouth.
Kael sighed, shaking his head, though his expression was far from annoyed. "Fine. The beasts stay. But this place—this village—it needs a name. A real one."
Evanna blinked, surprised. "You're asking me to name it?"
Kael stepped closer, his voice softening. "You gave this place life, Evanna. It's only fitting that it carries your name."
Her heart swelled as she glanced around, taking in the progress they'd made. After a moment, she nodded. "Then it'll be called Evanna. A home for everyone, beast and human alike."
The creatures in the area let out a collective sound of approval—a roar, a chirp, a howl—as if they understood the significance of the moment.
Days turned into weeks as Kael and Evanna worked side by side to rebuild the village. Kael's raw strength, combined with his ability to command beasts, accelerated the process. He carved massive logs with ease, while direwolves dragged stones to reinforce buildings.
Evanna focused on organizing the creatures and finding ways to integrate them into the community. Glow, ever the loyal companion, acted as a mediator between her and the more feral beasts.
As the village grew, so did its sense of purpose. What had once been a desolate ruin became a thriving sanctuary, a place where humans and beasts coexisted.
One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Kael and Evanna stood together in the heart of the village, watching as the beasts played in the clearing.
"You've changed me, you know," Kael said suddenly, his voice low.
Evanna turned to him, surprised. "I find that hard to believe. You're still as stubborn as ever."
Kael chuckled, shaking his head. "Perhaps. But I've never cared for a place—or a person—like this before."
Evanna felt her cheeks warm, but she didn't look away. "Good. Because you're stuck with me now, Beastlord."
One morning, Kael approached Evanna with a surprising suggestion. "We should visit your hometown," he said.
Evanna blinked at him, taken aback. "Briarmoor? Why?"
"Because," Kael said, his tone serious, "they deserve to see that you're alive. And you deserve to show them what you've become."
Evanna hesitated, her mind racing. The thought of returning to Briarmoor stirred a mix of emotions—relief, sadness, and a lingering bitterness over being sent away as a sacrifice.
"I don't know if I'm ready," she admitted.
Kael placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch steadying. "You are. And I'll be with you."
The journey to Briarmoor was surreal. Glow and Hoppe accompanied them, along with a few other beasts who refused to leave Evanna's side. As they approached the outskirts of the village, Evanna's heart pounded in her chest.
"It's so… small," she murmured, the once-familiar sight now feeling distant and foreign.
Kael glanced at her. "You've outgrown it. But that doesn't mean it isn't still part of you."
As they walked into the village square, the reaction was immediate. Villagers stopped in their tracks, their faces frozen in shock.
"It's her!" someone whispered.
"Evanna… she's alive!"
"The Beastlord's bride!"
The murmurs grew louder, and soon a crowd had gathered. Evanna spotted familiar faces—her parents, her sister, and even the merchant who had guided her to the Wildlands.
Her younger sister, Lyra, broke through the crowd, tears streaming down her face. "Evanna!"
Evanna dropped to her knees as Lyra threw her arms around her, sobbing uncontrollably. "I thought you were gone forever!"
"I'm here," Evanna whispered, holding her tightly. "I'm here, Lyra."
Her parents approached hesitantly, their faces etched with guilt and relief. "Evanna," her mother began, her voice trembling. "We… we thought…"
Evanna stood, her expression unreadable. "You thought I'd die. That's why you let me go."
Her father hung his head. "We had no choice. It was the only way to protect the village."
Kael stepped forward, his presence commanding. "You sent her away as a sacrifice, but she returned as a queen. She's done more than survive—she's thrived. And now, she's stronger than any of you could have imagined."
The villagers fell silent, their gazes shifting between Kael and Evanna.
"I don't hate you," Evanna said at last, her voice steady. "But I can't stay here. My place is in the Wildlands now. I came back to show you that I'm alive, and that the Wildlands aren't what you think they are."
As the villagers listened to Evanna's story of taming beasts and rebuilding the abandoned village, their fear began to fade. By the time she finished, they looked at her not with pity, but with admiration.
"You've become something incredible," her mother said, tears glistening in her eyes.
Evanna smiled faintly. "I've just found where I belong."
As the sun set over Briarmoor, Kael turned to Evanna. "Are you ready to go?"
She nodded, glancing back at her family one last time. "Yes. It's time."
As they walked back toward the Wildlands, the villagers watched in silence, their respect for the Beastlord's bride evident in their somber faces.
But as Evanna crossed the threshold back into the forest, she felt a strange sensation—a warmth in her chest, much like the night of her wedding.
Kael noticed her pause. "What is it?"