Two days after the royal ball, the orphanage was quiet in the late morning. Sunlight warmed the walls, children's laughter echoed from the backyard, and the scent of freshly baked bread drifted through the halls.
The peace broke gently when a carriage stopped outside the gate.
Princess Lyria stepped out first—simple enough to look approachable, but still royal in posture. Behind her stood Kara Blackwood, her personal guard: tall, broad-shouldered, and sharp-eyed. Kara bowed slightly to the head nun, who hurried to welcome them.
"Please, wait in the sitting room," the nun said. "Riven will be here any moment. She just returned from training and is washing up."
Lyria nodded politely, but she looked… nervous?
Kara noticed. "Relax," she whispered. "It's just a visit."
"I–I am relaxed," Lyria insisted—and Kara smirked knowingly.
In the sitting room, Lyria sat primly, hands folded in her lap, while Kara stood behind her like a silent wall.
Then—
steps approached.
"Mother mary?" Riven's voice drifted in, calm and low. "Did you see my shirt? I think the kids took it agai—"
She walked in barefoot, hair dripping from the bath, wearing only a pair of loose black trousers and a simple chest wrap. Water ran down the lines of her shoulders, highlighting the defined muscles of her arms and stomach. Her short black hair clung to her neck, droplets sliding over the scars on her back—three long claw-marks across one shoulder.
She froze.
Lyria froze harder.
For a full second, it felt like no one breathed.
Lyria's face went red—violently red—and she stared as if her brain had simply stopped working.
(And even then, she could not look away.)
Riven blinked slowly. "…Princess Lyria? When did you—?"
Before she could finish, mother mary rushed in, smacking Riven lightly on the head.
"Put on a shirt, child! We have guests!"
Kara muffled a laugh. Lyria's ears turned even redder.
From behind the door, giggling children whispered:
I hid her shirt again.
"Her muscles look so cool!"
"She's shining!"
"Her scars look scary—like a warrior!"
"She forgot her shirt again!"
Riven shot them a mock glare. They shrieked with laughter and fled toward the garden.
Only after she returned, now fully dressed, did the room feel normal again—except Lyria still hadn't recovered her normal color.
Kara leaned down and murmured into her ear,
"You look like a teenager in love for the first time."
Lyria nearly choked.
When things settled, the princess smiled at Riven shyly.
"If… if you're free, would you walk with me in the market for a while?"
Riven considered it. She had chores later—but Lyria looked hopeful, almost like one of the children.
"Alright," she said. "A walk sounds fine."
The three of them moved through town: Riven in her simple hunter's clothes, Lyria graceful and curious, and Kara watching everything with a predator's focus.
Children greeted Riven along the streets.
Vendors called out to her.
Some bowed to Lyria but most simply admired her from afar.
"That woman selling herbs was staring at you," Kara said.
"I think she was staring at you," Riven replied.
Kara snorted. "Trust me—she wasn't."
They wandered, talked lightly, tasted pastries, and watched performers in the square.
It was simple.
It was peaceful.
And it felt like something gentle was forming between them—friendship, curiosity, respect.
When they returned to the gates of the orphanage, Kara stretched her arms and gave Riven a competitive grin.
"I know strength when I see it," she said. "You're strong. Very strong. Next time, let's have a friendly duel."
Riven shook her head immediately.
"No."
Kara blinked. "No?"
"No," Riven repeated. "I don't spar for fun."
Lyria hid a laugh behind her hand.
Kara groaned. "You rejected me before I even finished the challenge."
"Exactly."
"Maybe someday," Riven added.
Kara smirked. "I'll take that as a yes."
Lyria stepped closer, smiling warmly.
"Thank you for spending the day with me," she said.
"It was… nice."
"It was," Riven agreed.
With that, the princess and Kara climbed into the carriage, and it pulled away down the road—Lyria watching Riven until the very last moment.
Riven exhaled softly.
She still had no idea why the princess stared at her so much , or why she was here in the first place .
But for the first time in a long while…
it didn't bother her.