The rain had stopped by morning.
The village was quiet, with small drops of water still falling from the roofs. The roads were muddy, and the air smelled fresh after the storm.
Kael stood outside the small house beside the shop, tightening the straps of his armor.
He had spent the night there because of the rain.
Now, he was preparing to leave.
Elara stood near the doorway, watching him.
"You're leaving already?" she asked.
Kael looked at her.
"I have duties."
She crossed her arms.
"You always have duties."
Kael smiled.
"I am a knight."
"I know."
There was a short silence.
Then she added,
"But sometimes I think you use that as an excuse."
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"An excuse for what?"
She looked away.
"Nothing."
Kael smiled.
"Then I suppose I should leave."
He turned toward his horse.
"Wait."
He stopped.
Elara walked toward him and handed him a small cloth bag.
"What's this?"
"Food."
Kael opened it slightly.
Inside were pieces of bread, cheese, and some fruit.
"You made this?"
"Yes."
"For me?"
"No. For your horse."
Kael looked at her.
She tried not to smile.
"The horse probably eats better than you anyway."
Kael laughed.
"Thank you."
Elara's younger sister suddenly ran outside.
"Kael!"
He turned.
Mira ran toward him and stopped beside his horse.
"Are you leaving again?"
"Yes."
"When will you come back?"
Kael looked at Elara.
She was already looking at him.
"Soon," he said.
Mira smiled.
"You always say that."
Kael laughed.
"This time I mean it."
He climbed onto his horse.
Before leaving, he looked at Elara once more.
"I'll come back."
She nodded.
"I know."
Kael rode away.
Elara watched him until he disappeared down the road.
Mira looked up at her.
"You like him."
Elara immediately looked down.
"What?"
"You like Kael."
"I do not."
"You do."
"I don't."
Mira smiled.
"You waited outside for him this morning."
Elara became quiet.
She had no answer.
Later That Day
The village became busy by noon.
It was market day.
Farmers arrived from nearby areas with vegetables, grain, cloth, and other goods. People moved between the stalls while children ran through the streets.
Elara opened her shop.
Mira sat nearby, helping organize some small items.
"Put those over there," Elara said.
Mira carefully moved them.
Then she noticed something outside.
"Look!"
Elara looked up.
A merchant was arguing with an old farmer.
"You owe me more money," the merchant said.
"I already paid you."
"You paid only half."
"That's not true."
People began gathering around them.
Elara stepped outside.
"What happened?"
The farmer explained that he had bought several bags of grain from the merchant. He had already paid the agreed price, but the merchant was now demanding more.
Elara looked at the merchant.
"Do you have the original agreement?"
The merchant hesitated.
"Yes."
"Show it."
He pulled out a small piece of paper.
She read it carefully.
Then she looked at the farmer.
"You paid the correct amount."
The merchant became angry.
"You don't know what you're talking about."
Elara calmly pointed at the paper.
"You wrote the price here yourself."
The crowd became quiet.
The merchant looked at the paper.
He realized his mistake.
Elara handed it back.
"You cannot change the price after the agreement is made."
The old farmer thanked her.
The merchant walked away angrily.
Mira looked at her sister with admiration.
"You were like a knight."
Elara laughed.
"No. I was just reading."
Near Sunset
The market slowly became quiet.
Elara was closing the shop when she heard a familiar voice.
"Need some help?"
She turned.
Kael was standing outside.
She smiled before she could stop herself.
"You came back."
"I told you I would."
"You said soon."
"It was soon."
She looked at the sky.
"The entire day?"
Kael laughed.
"I had something to do nearby."
She looked at him suspiciously.
"Nearby?"
"Yes."
"How nearby?"
Kael thought for a moment.
"About twenty miles."
She shook her head.
"You rode twenty miles just to say you were nearby?"
Kael smiled.
"Maybe."
She tried to hide her smile.
"You're ridiculous."
"I've been told that."
Mira appeared from behind the counter.
"Kael!"
She ran toward him.
Kael caught her before she bumped into him.
"Careful."
Mira looked at him.
"Did you bring something?"
Kael pretended to think.
"No."
Her face fell.
Then he pulled a small wooden figure from his pocket.
"But I found this."
Her eyes widened.
It was a tiny wooden horse.
"For me?"
"For you."
She hugged it happily.
Elara watched them.
For a moment, she imagined something she had not allowed herself to imagine before.
A home.
Not the large home she had lost.
Not servants or wealth.
Just this.
A small house.
Her sister laughing.
And Kael standing there.
She quickly pushed the thought away.
Kael noticed.
"Are you alright?"
She looked at him.
"Yes."
Then she smiled.
"I'm just tired."
Kael nodded.
"Then I'll help you close the shop."
"You don't have to."
"I know."
He began carrying the boxes anyway.
She watched him for a moment.
Then she smiled.
"Thank you."
Kael looked back at her.
"You're welcome."
Neither of them said anything more.
But both of them understood that something between them was changing.
Slowly.
Quietly.
And neither wanted to stop it.