Kael began visiting the village more often.
At first, he always had a reason.
Supplies for the fortress.
A message for a merchant.
A patrol through the nearby roads.
But eventually, even Kael realized that some of his visits had no reason at all.
He would simply arrive.
Elara noticed.
“You don't need anything today, do you?”
Kael looked at the shelves.
“No.”
She crossed her arms.
“Then why are you here?”
Kael thought for a moment.
“I was nearby.”
“You were twenty miles away yesterday.”
Kael smiled.
“I was nearby yesterday too.”
She laughed.
“You are a terrible liar.”
Kael leaned against the counter.
“I came to see how the shop was doing.”
“It’s doing fine.”
“Good.”
Silence followed.
Elara looked at him.
“Was that all?”
Kael nodded.
“Yes.”
She shook her head, smiling.
“You’re strange.”
As the weeks passed, Kael became familiar with the village.
He learned the names of the shopkeepers.
He knew which baker opened before sunrise.
He knew which road became muddy after rain.
And he knew that Mira would always ask him the same question.
“Did you fight anyone today?”
Sometimes Kael answered honestly.
“Yes.”
“Did you win?”
“Yes.”
Mira would smile proudly.
But one afternoon, Kael returned with a cut across his cheek.
Mira noticed immediately.
“You lost!”
Kael touched the wound.
“This?”
She nodded.
“You’re bleeding.”
“It’s nothing.”
Elara walked over and looked at his face.
“Sit down.”
Kael obeyed.
She brought a clean cloth and gently pressed it against the cut.
“You said it was nothing.”
“It isn’t.”
“Then why are you bleeding?”
Kael smiled.
“Because swords tend to do that.”
She gave him an annoyed look.
“You joke too much.”
“And you worry too much.”
“I don’t worry.”
She pressed the cloth slightly harder.
Kael winced.
“You’re hurting me.”
“Good.”
Kael laughed.
Mira watched them.
Then she smiled.
“You both like each other.”
Both of them froze.
Elara immediately turned red.
“Go play outside.”
“But—”
“Outside.”
Mira ran away, laughing.
Kael looked at Elara.
She avoided his eyes.
“Children say strange things.”
“They do.”
Neither spoke for a few seconds.
Then Kael smiled.
“She might be right.”
Elara looked at him.
“What?”
Kael’s smile disappeared.
“Nothing.”
That evening, Kael stayed longer than usual.
The shop had closed.
The three of them sat outside beneath a tree.
Mira had fallen asleep beside her sister.
The village was quiet.
Kael looked toward the road.
“You never talk about your family.”
Elara’s expression changed.
She looked at her sleeping sister.
“There isn’t much to talk about.”
Kael noticed the sadness in her voice.
He didn’t push her.
“I’m sorry.”
She looked at him.
“For what?”
“For asking.”
She shook her head.
“It’s okay.”
After a moment, she said quietly:
“My parents are gone.”
Kael remained silent.
“And everything we had is gone too.”
He looked at her.
“How old were you?”
“Fourteen.”
Kael’s expression softened.
“And your sister?”
“Five.”
He looked toward Mira.
“You raised her?”
Elara nodded.
“I had to.”
“You were a child yourself.”
“I know.”
Kael didn’t know what to say.
She smiled faintly.
“But we’re okay now.”
Kael looked at her.
“You built all of this yourself.”
She shrugged.
“It’s not much.”
“It’s yours.”
She looked at the little shop.
“Yes.”
Kael smiled.
“Then it is much.”
She looked at him for a long moment.
That was the first time Elara truly understood something about Kael.
He didn’t look down on her because she had lost her family’s wealth.
He didn’t care about her former title.
He didn’t even know what that title had been.
He simply saw her.
Not as a fallen noble.
Not as a poor merchant.
Just as Elara.
And somehow, that mattered more than she wanted to admit.
The next morning, Kael returned to the capital.
Aldric, the Right-Hand Knight, was waiting for him.
“You’ve been spending a lot of time outside the capital.”
Kael stopped.
“Have I?”
Aldric smiled.
“You have.”
Kael said nothing.
Aldric looked at him carefully.
“Is there someone there?”
Kael hesitated.
Then he smiled.
“Maybe.”
Aldric laughed.
“Ah.”
Kael walked away.
Behind him, Aldric shook his head.
The boy he had once rescued from the streets had grown into a man.
And perhaps, for the first time, Kael had found something he wanted to protect for reasons beyond duty.
He had found someone he wanted to return to.