The tension in the camp was palpable. Guards from both houses stood at attention, their hands near their weapons, their eyes flickering warily between the opposing sides. The flower field that had felt so serene mere moments ago now bore witness to an impending storm—one that had been unexpectedly interrupted by a child's innocent whim.
It had all happened so fast.
After their brief interaction in the field, both Caelum Avernal and Seraphina Crimsonvale had simultaneously asked Lyra if she wanted to eat something. The child, her blue eyes sparkling with delight, had grasped their fingers in her tiny hands, her silver hair gleaming under the setting sun.
"Yes, but only if you both eat with me!" she had said, her voice filled with a childlike command that neither lord could immediately refute.
Before they could protest or maneuver their way out of her grasp, Lyra had begun pulling them—one by one—toward the camp. Her strength wasn't in her arms but in her sheer determination. Caught off guard, the two lords had exchanged incredulous glances but followed, their pride momentarily overtaken by the sheer audacity of the moment.
And now, here they were.
A table had been hastily set up right on the invisible border between the territories of the two houses. It was an unspoken rule that neither side crossed that line without reason, but tonight, that rule had been bent to accommodate the whims of a child. Guards from both sides stood rigid, their gazes fixed on the strange scene unfolding before them.
Caelum sat at one end of the table, his expression sharp and guarded, his violet eyes narrowed as though he were preparing for a verbal duel. His dark cloak fell around him like shadows, and his fingers drummed against the table's edge in barely concealed irritation.
Seraphina sat at the opposite end, her crimson hair cascading over her shoulder, her red eyes flickering with both annoyance and bemusement. She held her chin high, her posture regal and unyielding, as though refusing to acknowledge the absurdity of the situation. A faint twitch in her lips betrayed her irritation, though she quickly masked it.
Lyra, oblivious to the simmering tension, sat at the center side of the table, swinging her legs happily. Her silver hair gleamed under the lantern light, and her innocent smile seemed to defy the weight of the animosity between the two lords. In front of her was a small plate of food, which she eagerly began picking at with childish glee.
The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional clink of cutlery and the shuffling of feet from the uneasy guards.
"This is ridiculous," Caelum muttered under his breath, his voice low enough for only Seraphina to hear.
"I didn't ask to be here either, Avernal," Seraphina hissed back, her red eyes narrowing dangerously. "Blame the child, not me."
Lyra looked up from her plate, her cheeks puffed out adorably with a bite of food. "Blame me for what?" she asked, tilting her head in confusion.
Both lords froze, their gazes snapping to the child, who stared at them with wide, innocent eyes. They exchanged an awkward glance, and for a moment, they almost looked… guilty.
"Nothing," they said in unison, their voices clipped. The synchronization only made the tension more unbearable, and the guards on either side exchanged wary glances, wondering if the table would soon become a battlefield.
Lyra giggled, the sound light and airy, cutting through the awkward atmosphere. She reached out, placing her small hands on the table as if to anchor the moment. "You both are funny," she said simply, before returning to her food.
Seraphina let out a soft sigh, leaning back slightly in her chair. She reached for her cup, her fingers gripping it tightly as though it were the only thing keeping her from snapping. "Funny isn't the word I'd use," she muttered.
Caelum's lips twitched, though whether it was an attempt at a smile or a grimace was unclear. He leaned forward slightly, his violet eyes flickering toward Lyra. "Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked, his tone softer than before.
Lyra nodded enthusiastically, her silver hair bouncing with the motion. "Yes! I've never had dinner with so many people before. It's like a feast!"
The word "feast" seemed to hang in the air, drawing faint smiles from the guards closest to the table. For all their differences, it was impossible not to be charmed by the child's unbridled joy.
Seraphina's expression softened ever so slightly as she watched Lyra. "Well, if this makes you happy, then I suppose it's worth enduring… this." She gestured vaguely to the table and the man seated across from her.
"Enduring?" Caelum raised an eyebrow, his tone cool but edged with amusement. "I'd say you're getting off easy, Crimsonvale."
Before Seraphina could retort, Lyra's laughter bubbled up again. "You two sound like the birds in the morning. They always chirp at each other, but I think they're friends."