The second floor of the dungeon stretched out as a damp, vibrant haven, a cavern where the underground lake mirrored the spectral glow of luminous mushrooms sprouting from the cracks like beacons of a forgotten realm. The water, dark and still, whispered with a constant murmur that filled the air, while stalagmites rose from the floor like jagged teeth, cloaked in phosphorescent moss that cast a greenish sheen over the scene. For a hundred years, this place had been the daily refuge of Sebastián and Kaili, a corner where time seemed suspended by the dungeon's will—a silent gift that had preserved Sebastián, his unwavering devotion to Aurora's cocoon weaving an invisible thread that bound him to her existence while she slumbered. Now, a day after her awakening, the air thrummed with a fresh energy, an echo of the power Aurora had unleashed in her rebirth.Sebastián stood at the lake's edge, his boots sinking slightly into the soft ground as he adjusted an improvised fishing rod—a flexible branch he'd carved with a precision sharpened by a century of practice. His green tunic, still streaked with faint traces of yesterday's slime, hung loosely over a frame that time had left untouched, and a light sword swayed at his hip, a testament to the decades Kaili had forced him to train until his hands could dodge and strike with a finesse born of sheer persistence. The water reflected his face—warm eyes, tousled brown hair—and he hummed a soft tune, a habit he'd picked up while speaking to the cocoon over countless nights.Aurora sat on a flat rock near the shore, her legs crossed with an effortless elegance that had blossomed since her awakening. The dress he'd woven—broad leaves, sturdy glowing stems, and blue flowers—clung to her with a delicate grace that contrasted with the regal aura she now exuded, her green hair spilling over her shoulders like a living stream, catching the light in glints that danced with the lake's ripples. Her translucent wings quivered with a gentle shimmer, and her amber eyes followed him with a blend of curiosity and a sweetness that made the world pause whenever she looked his way. Kaili, meanwhile, lounged against a stalagmite, her wings folded with a rustle that stirred the air, her black armor glinting with reflections that seemed to drink in the surrounding light—a towering figure watching with a smile that hinted at mischief."Sebastián," Aurora called, her clear, melodic voice slicing through the water's murmur with a softness that spun him around instantly. "Will you get me some fish, please?" Her lips curved into a smile brimming with warmth, and she tilted her head slightly, a blue flower from the dress brushing her skin with a whisper that left him blinking. "Kaili says you cook it in a way I'll never forget."The request caught him off guard—not because it was strange; he'd cooked for her countless times before—but because her tone carried a new edge, a blend of tenderness and an expectation that wrapped around him like a gentle breeze. His hands fumbled with the rod for a moment, and he let out a shaky laugh, his voice cracking with a nervousness he couldn't mask. "Of course, Aurora. I'll grab something fresh—the lake's full today." His eyes met hers, and the amber glow snared him, a spark that sent a flush creeping up his neck—an echo of the longing her presence had stirred since yesterday.Kaili let out a low, teasing laugh that rolled through the cavern like a dare dipped in honey. "You'd better dazzle her, gardener," she growled, her voice sharp yet laced with amusement honed over a century together. She straightened with a shift that sent a faint crunch through the moss beneath her boots, and one wing arched toward him, its edge brushing his neck with a tickle that made him stutter, his skin prickling under the faded fabric of his tunic. "A hundred years cooking for me, and I still can't tell if it's skill or dumb luck—don't make me look bad in front of my queen."Sebastián turned to her, his cheeks flaring as he struggled to steady the rod, his fingers slipping in a clumsy jerk that drew another chuckle from Kaili. "It's not luck," he muttered, his voice wavering with a mix of defiance and nerves as he stole a glance at her—the glint of her runes, the sleek lines of her armor tempting him as always. "You keep eating it, don't you? That's got to mean something." The memory of her baths in this very lake—water tracing her form, wings catching the light—hit him like a jolt, and he yanked his gaze away, casting the rod into the water with a force that sent ripples racing across its surface.Aurora laughed lightly, a sound that filled the cavern like a gentle chime, and leaned forward, her hands resting on the rock with a poise that seemed second nature now. "Don't worry, Kaili," she said, her voice warm as her amber eyes lingered on Sebastián, a playful glint dancing in them that made him feel she could see every flustered thought tumbling through his head. "I trust him—he's never let me down." Her words were sweet, yet a new strength underpinned them, a trace of the majesty she'd awakened with, and his heart skipped, his hands fumbling with the rod as the line sank deeper."Very well, if my queen says so," Kaili growled, her tone dripping with sarcasm but softened by a century's worth of grudging acceptance. She stepped closer to the shore, her shadow stretching over the water like a veil of restrained chaos. "But a feast for your awakening deserves more than fish—we need meat." Her gaze flicked to the tunnel leading outside, and with a sharp snap of her fingers, a figure emerged from the shadows—the Emerald Mantis, its gleaming green carapace glinting under the light, its razor claws poised. "Go," she commanded, her voice cutting through the air as she pointed beyond the dungeon. "Bring back boars—the finest you can find. My queen deserves a banquet worthy of her."The mantis dipped its head with a high-pitched chirr, its wings buzzing briefly before it darted through the tunnel with a speed that shook the ground. Sebastián watched it vanish, the rod still in his grip, then turned to Kaili with a mix of surprise and resignation. "Boars too?" he murmured, his voice quaking as the line tugged faintly in the water. "That means I'll have to—""Cook, yes," Kaili cut in, leaning toward him with a grin that blended mockery and expectation, her fingers brushing his wrist with a light pressure that made his words catch in his throat. "You didn't think my queen would eat raw fish like some savage, did you? Do it right, gardener—or I'll have you sparring until your hands stop shaking." Her tone was biting, but a spark in her dark eyes dared him, a flicker of the decades she'd pushed him to improve—beatings after spying, lessons with the blade—and a flush crept up his neck that he couldn't shake off.Aurora giggled again, rising from the rock with a motion that sent the dress whispering against her skin, and stepped toward the shore with a lightness that barely stirred the ground. "Don't be too hard on him, Kaili," she said, her voice gentle but woven with a warmth that wrapped around him like a soft touch. She paused beside him, her fingers grazing his arm with a heat that sent a shiver through him, and he felt her closeness like a memory of yesterday's embrace. "He's always taken care of me—I know he'll do it well." Her amber eyes met his with a trust that steadied him, and he swallowed hard, his pulse racing as the line tugged sharper in the water."If my queen insists," Kaili growled, her sarcasm thick as she straightened, her gaze locking onto him with a glint that made him sweat. "But don't get cocky, gardener—if the fish tastes off, I'll have you fishing 'til you get it right." Her lips twitched into a cruel smile, and he let out a shaky laugh, his hands fumbling as the rod bent with a sudden pull.The lake answered swiftly—a strong yank curved the rod, and Sebastián pulled with a skill honed over a century, his hands swift and steady as he hauled a translucent fish from the water, its scales glinting like crystal under the cavern's glow. "Got it!" he exclaimed, his voice quivering with a mix of pride and nerves as he held the fish, water dripping down his arms. But before he could turn, the Emerald Mantis returned, its claws dragging two slain boars—sturdy beasts with sharp tusks—that it dropped at his feet with a heavy thud, splattering the ground with dirt and blood.Kaili laughed, a sound that echoed through the cavern like a taunt. "There you go, gardener—your feast," she said, leaning in with a grin that teased him, her breath grazing his ear with a warmth that made his voice falter. "Hurry up—my queen's hungry, and I want to see if those clumsy hands are good for more than trimming weeds." Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and he felt a flush climb his face that he couldn't hide.Aurora stepped closer to the pile of meat, her hand brushing his shoulder with a warmth that unraveled him. "I trust you," she whispered, her voice soft as she looked at him with those amber eyes that snared him, her fingers lingering against his arm with a touch that sent a jolt through him. He nodded clumsily, his heart pounding as her faith and the graze of her hand wrapped around him like a spell.Sebastián set to work, his hands moving with a precision carved from a century—slicing the fish with his sword, gutting the boars with an agility Kaili had beaten into him over decades. He sparked a fire with dry branches and flammable moss, the crackling filling the cavern as the scent of roasting fish began to mingle with the sweetness of the flowers. Kaili drifted closer, her wings casting shadows that flickered across the water, and leaned in, her voice a low murmur against his neck that made his hands falter. "Not bad," she growled, sniffing the air as her fingers grazed his wrist with a tease that left him stammering. "Maybe a hundred years feeding me wasn't a total waste."Aurora settled nearby, her hands resting on her knees with a grace that mesmerized him, and watched him with a smile that melted him. "It smells wonderful," she said, her voice gentle as the firelight played across her face, her amber eyes glowing with a warmth that rooted him in place. He laughed shakily, his hands trembling as he carved a piece of fish and offered it with a jerk that sent it tumbling to the ground with a dull plop, drawing a burst of laughter from both."Fool!" Kaili growled, her laugh slicing through the air as she leaned closer, her eyes glinting with amusement. "A hundred years, and you still drop the food—you're hopeless." He laughed too, his face burning as he scrambled to pick it up with fumbling hands.Aurora giggled, her hand brushing his as she took another piece from him, her touch a fleeting warmth that steadied him. "It's perfect," she said, her smile tender as she met his gaze, the fire's glow reflecting in her eyes. He felt his breath hitch, the scent of fish and roasting meat filling the air as the two hovered near—one with her gentle touch, the other with her sharp taunts—a feast unfolding around him that left him caught between their warmth.The fire crackled, the aroma of boar blending with the fish as the three shared the meal—Aurora eating with a poise that captivated him, Kaili tearing into chunks with a playful ferocity that teased him. "Not terrible, gardener," Kaili growled, her voice low as she eyed him with a grin that dared him, her fingers brushing his arm with a tease that made him swallow hard. "Maybe I'll let you cook again—if you don't ruin it first."Aurora smiled, her hand grazing his wrist with a warmth that anchored him. "He'll always do it well," she said, her voice soft as she looked at him with those amber eyes that enveloped him. He laughed awkwardly, his face flushing as the heat of the fire and their closeness wrapped around him—a banquet celebrating his queen, a moment that left him unsteady between them.And then, as he reached for a piece of boar, his hand slipped, the meat tumbling from his grip and splashing into the lake with a wet plop that sprayed Kaili's face. She growled, her wings snapping open as she glared at him with mock outrage, water dripping from her armor. "You're a disaster!" she snapped, her voice sharp but quaking with a laugh she couldn't hold back. Before he could dodge, she lunged forward, one wing arcing out to nudge him off balance, sending him sprawling into the shallow water with a yelp. Aurora burst into laughter, her hand covering her mouth as water glistened on Kaili's armor, and Sebastián flailed, splashing as he laughed breathlessly, the lake mirroring their joy—a feast that ended in chaos, a bond a century couldn't unravel.
