Day four of travel began with ominous signs.
Adrian woke before dawn, as was his habit—body clock trained across lifetimes to wake when darkness still held. The air felt wrong. Too still. Too heavy. Pressure building in ways that made his instincts scream warning.
He emerged from his bedroll to find High Knight Garrick already awake, studying the sky with professional concern.
"Storm coming," Garrick said quietly. "Big one. See how the clouds are building to the northwest?"
Adrian looked. The pre-dawn sky showed dark masses gathering on the horizon—not the gentle rain clouds of summer showers, but the towering formations that brought serious weather.
"How long do we have?"
"Few hours if we're lucky. Less if the wind picks up." Garrick's expression was calculating. "We need to find shelter before it hits. This terrain doesn't offer much, and being caught in open during storm like that could be dangerous."
"There's a way station about three hours ahead," Adrian said, pulling from the maps he'd studied before leaving Northwatch last year. "Small structure but solid. Built specifically for travelers caught in bad weather."
"Can we reach it before the storm?"
Adrian assessed the clouds, the wind that was just beginning to pick up, the way pressure felt against his skin. Three lifetimes of reading weather patterns said this would be close.
"Maybe. If we push hard and the storm doesn't accelerate."
"Then we push hard."
They woke Alice and Mira quickly, explaining the situation while breaking camp with efficient haste. No leisurely morning meal, no careful packing—just grab essentials, secure everything else, mount up and move.
Alice caught the urgency immediately. "How bad is this going to be?"
"Bad enough that we don't want to be caught in it," Adrian said, helping her secure her gear. "Northern storms can be violent. Wind, heavy rain, lightning. Being exposed during one isn't safe."
"Then let's move."
They rode out as dawn broke behind gathering clouds, pushing the horses faster than previous days' steady pace. The road here was rougher—less maintained, more wilderness encroaching. Roots crossed the path, stones jutted up through packed earth, low branches required constant awareness.
Perfect conditions for accidents if they rushed too much.
"Balance speed with safety," Adrian called back to the group. "We need to move fast but can't afford injuries."
The wind picked up steadily as morning progressed. What had been still air became breeze, then gusts that pulled at their clothing and made the horses nervous. The clouds advanced faster than Adrian liked, darkness spreading across sky like stain.
"How much farther?" Alice asked, having to raise her voice over wind.
"Hour if this pace holds. Maybe more if terrain gets worse."
It got worse.
The road—such as it was—deteriorated into barely more than game trail. Trees pressed close on both sides, branches reaching overhead to create tunnel that blocked what little light remained. Roots and rocks made footing treacherous for tired horses.
And the storm kept building.
Thunder rumbled in the distance—long, low sound that promised worse to come. The wind came in powerful gusts now, strong enough to make Adrian grip his reins tighter, to make Alice lean forward in her saddle for stability.
"There!" Adrian spotted it finally—small stone structure ahead, barely visible through trees. The way station, exactly where the maps said it would be.
They urged the horses to final effort, reaching the structure just as first fat raindrops began falling.
The way station was simple construction—stone walls, slate roof, single room with fireplace and minimal furniture. Built solid and maintained well, the kind of structure meant to last generations.
"Get the horses inside!" Garrick shouted over wind that had become howl.
The structure had small attached stable—barely adequate for four horses and pack animals, but protection from storm that was now arriving in full force.
They worked quickly, efficiently. Adrian and Garrick secured the horses while Alice and Mira grabbed essential supplies from packs—food, bedrolls, anything they'd need if forced to shelter for extended period.
The rain went from drops to deluge in seconds. Heavy sheets of water driven by wind that screamed through trees, lightning cracking close enough that thunder was immediate. The kind of storm that made even experienced travelers glad for shelter.
They crowded into the way station's main room, soaked despite their haste, breathing hard from exertion and relief both.
"That was close," Mira observed, water dripping from her hair.
"Too close," Garrick agreed. "Another fifteen minutes and we'd have been caught in open."
Alice was shivering—not from fear but from cold. Her travel leathers were soaked through, offering no protection against dropping temperature that came with the storm.
Adrian immediately moved to the fireplace, checking for dry wood. Every way station was supposed to maintain emergency supplies—
There. Dry wood stacked carefully in protected corner, along with flint and tinder. Whoever had used this shelter last had followed protocol, restocking before leaving.
"I'll get fire started," Adrian said, already arranging kindling.
"I'll help," Alice offered, but Adrian shook his head.
"You need to get out of wet clothes before you freeze. There should be emergency supplies—check that chest."
The chest revealed basic provisions—rough blankets, spare clothing in various sizes, dried food stores. Everything a traveler might need if stranded.
"Privacy?" Alice asked, looking at the single-room structure.
"You and Mira take the corner," Garrick said practically. "We'll face the fire. Change quickly before the cold sets in worse."
It was pragmatic solution born from necessity. They were all trained warriors—modesty mattered less than survival, and hypothermia from wet clothing was genuine risk.
Adrian focused on the fire, coaxing it to life while very deliberately not looking toward the corner where Alice and Mira changed. Behind him, he heard quiet movement, wet fabric hitting stone, the rustle of dry clothing being pulled on.
"Clear," Mira announced after few minutes.
Adrian and Garrick took their turn, changing quickly in the opposite corner. The dry clothes were rough, generic travel wear, but warm and blessedly dry.
The fire was burning well now, heat beginning to fill the small space. They hung wet clothing on makeshift lines near the hearth, arranged themselves around the fire for warmth.
Outside, the storm raged. Wind howled around the structure, rain hammered against roof and walls, lightning illuminated windows in brilliant flashes followed by immediate thunder.
"How long will this last?" Alice asked, wrapped in rough blanket, sitting close to fire.
"Hours," Adrian said. "These northern storms are intense but usually pass by evening. We'll be here until it does."
"Could be worse," Garrick observed. "Could be caught in it instead of sheltering safely."
"Thanks to Adrian knowing the way station was here," Mira added.
Alice looked at him. "How did you know it was here?"
"Maps and preparation," Adrian said, feeding another piece of wood to the fire. "Before leaving Northwatch for the trials last year, Father made sure I understood the routes to and from the capital. We went over maps together—locations of way stations, dangerous terrain, where to find water, which sections were well-maintained versus rough travel."
"Way stations like this one?" Alice gestured at the solid stone structure around them.
"Some. This one's actually maintained by Northwatch." Adrian added another log to the fire. "Father's grandfather established a network of shelters along the northern routes generations ago. Recognized that supporting safe travel helped everyone—merchants, messengers, travelers, soldiers rotating to and from border duty. Built them sturdy, stocked them with emergency supplies, and trained travelers to maintain them for those who'd come after."
"That's remarkably thoughtful," Garrick observed. "Most nobles wouldn't invest in infrastructure for common travelers."
"Northwatch operates differently. We're isolated enough that we depend on reliable travel routes for supplies, communication, reinforcements. Helping travelers helps us." Adrian smiled slightly. "Plus Father says it's just good practice. If you can help someone survive a storm, you do it. Simple as that."
"Practical and compassionate," Alice said. "I like that philosophy."
"It's border thinking. Everyone contributes to survival because everyone benefits from it." Adrian glanced toward the storm outside. "These way stations have saved countless lives over the years. My great-grandfather built them, but everyone who uses them maintains them. It's tradition—you take shelter, you restock what you used, you leave it ready for the next person who needs help."
"Which is why there was dry wood and supplies waiting," Mira said with understanding.
"Exactly. Whoever sheltered here last followed protocol, just as we will when we leave."
They settled in for waiting. Garrick prepared simple meal from dried supplies—nothing elaborate, but hot food and tea that helped counter the cold. The four of them ate in comfortable proximity, the storm's fury outside making the cramped interior feel cozy rather than confining.
"Tell me about Northwatch," Alice said eventually. "Not the daily schedule you mentioned before. What's it actually like? The people, the atmosphere, what makes it home?"
Adrian considered. "It's... purposeful. Everyone there knows exactly why they exist. Knows their role matters for kingdom's safety. There's clarity in that, but also weight."
"Weight?"
"Responsibility. Knowing if you fail, demons break through. Knowing every mistake could cost lives." He paused. "But also community. Everyone trusts each other because they have to. No room for petty politics or games when survival requires cooperation."
"Sounds intense."
"It is. But it's also honest. People are direct, say what they mean, because there's no time for deception when demons might attack any moment." Adrian smiled slightly. "You'll probably find it refreshing after court life."
"No elaborate courtesy, no hidden meanings, no need to parse every word for political implications?" Alice's expression brightened. "That does sound refreshing."
Mira laughed quietly. "The princess has never been good at court games. Too direct for her own good sometimes."
"Because court games are exhausting," Alice protested. "Why can't people just say what they mean?"
"Because power requires subtlety," Garrick said with veteran understanding. "Though I agree—military life is simpler. Orders are clear, expectations explicit, results measurable."
"That's what I want," Alice said firmly. "Clear expectations, explicit training, measurable progress. Not endless dancing around meanings."
The storm continued outside, but the conversation flowed comfortably inside. Four people from different backgrounds finding common ground in shared experience.
Hours passed. The fire burned steady, requiring periodic feeding. Their wet clothes dried slowly on the lines. The storm showed no signs of diminishing.
"We'll be here until evening at least," Garrick observed. "Might even need to stay the night if it doesn't clear."
"The way station is equipped for that," Adrian confirmed. "Not comfortable, but adequate."
"Better than traveling in storm," Mira said practically.
As afternoon wore on, Garrick and Mira eventually dozed—taking opportunity for rest while trapped anyway. The storm's constant noise provided white noise that encouraged sleep.
Alice moved closer to Adrian, both sitting near fire, speaking quietly to avoid disturbing the others.
"Your great-grandfather sounds like he was a good man," Alice said. "Building these stations, thinking about travelers who'd need help."
"He was. Father speaks of him often—says he taught the family that border defense isn't just about fighting demons. It's about supporting everyone who depends on safe travel, reliable communication, protected trade routes." Adrian smiled. "Border communities can't afford to think only about themselves. Isolation means cooperation is survival."
"That's what I'm learning. That real strength isn't just individual capability—it's community working together."
"You're learning the right lessons."
The moment stretched between them—comfortable, warm, intimate in ways that had nothing to do with physical proximity and everything to do with growing connection.
Adrian was acutely aware of how close she sat. How the firelight played across her features. How her hair had dried into softer waves than the severe binding she maintained while riding.
"What are you thinking?" Alice asked quietly.
The honest answer would have been "about how beautiful you look in firelight" or "about how much I care for you" or "about how you're making me question three hundred years of purpose."
Instead he said, "About how different this is from what I expected. Usually travel is just efficient movement from point to point. This is..."
"Different," Alice supplied when he trailed off.
"Yes. Different. Better different."
Her hand found his between them—not casual touch this time, but deliberate connection. Fingers interlacing, holding gentle but certain.
"I'm glad I came," she said quietly. "Glad it's you teaching me. Glad we're here, even trapped in a storm."
"Me too."
They sat like that, holding hands, watching fire dance while storm raged outside. Not kissing, not making dramatic declarations, just being together in moment that felt significant despite its simplicity.
Adrian felt the demon prince he'd been three hundred years ago receding further. That person wouldn't have sat quietly holding hands with someone he cared about. Would have seen vulnerability rather than connection. Would have calculated advantage rather than feeling warmth.
But current Adrian—fifteen-year-old teaching princess how to survive, warrior trying to be better than his first life—he could appreciate this moment for what it was.
Simple. Genuine. Good.
Eventually, Alice's head drooped against his shoulder, exhaustion and warmth combining to pull her toward sleep. Adrian stayed still, not wanting to disturb her, just letting her rest against him while storm continued outside.
Across the room, Garrick cracked one eye open, saw them, smiled slightly, and closed it again without comment.
The storm would pass eventually. They'd continue to Northwatch, face demons, deal with real dangers.
But for now, there was just small stone shelter, warm fire, steady rain, and two young people finding comfort in each other's presence.
Sometimes the best moments weren't dramatic or significant.
Sometimes they were just quiet afternoons waiting out storms, holding hands and feeling safe together.
Change continued.
And Adrian was increasingly certain it was good change.
Even if it complicated everything else.