Morning broke gently over the hidden shoreline, where waves lapped rhythmically against the sand, humming lullabies older than time. Mist clung to the edges of the forest like soft fingers reluctant to release the night. The fire had long turned to glowing embers when Luther rose before the sun, his footsteps soundless on dew-kissed grass.
He strapped his sword to his back, slung a simple hunting bow across his shoulder, and vanished into the woods with the quiet focus of a man born to both war and wilderness.
Back at camp, Arya stirred the last of their dried grains into a pot of seawater, humming under her breath. The smell was far from appetizing, but necessity made even bland food feel warm and good. Her hair was tied back loosely, and her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, revealing faint scars—memories of younger, harder days.
Selena woke slowly, her hand instinctively resting over her belly. She stretched beneath the woven furs, eyes still full of dreams.
"Morning, sleepy sorceress," Arya smiled, stirring the pot.
Selena chuckled. "Is that food or potion?"
Arya wrinkled her nose. "Hopefully food, but I won't make promises."
Selena sat beside her, arms wrapped around her knees. The firelight painted their faces with soft gold. For a few quiet moments, they listened to the ocean together, letting peace settle like silk between them.
Then Arya said, softly, "I think I like him."
Selena blinked. "Who?"
Arya gave her a sideways look. "Luther."
A grin bloomed on Selena's face. "Really?"
Arya rolled her eyes. "Don't make a thing of it."
"I'm absolutely making a thing of it," Selena teased, nudging her. "You've fought through assassins, dark forests, and magical storms… but here you are, blushing over a paladin."
Arya looked away, cheeks red. "He's… different. Not like the soldiers in court. He listens. He looks at people, not titles. And he still talks to me like I'm a person, not just a handmaiden or… whatever I am now."
Selena reached over and squeezed her hand. "You're family to me. Always have been."
They sat in silence again, smiles warming the cool air.
Just then, a rustle in the woods. Arya instinctively reached for a dagger, but Selena waved her hand gently—her magic sensing no danger.
Luther emerged, carrying two rabbits and a bundle of wild herbs. His hair was tousled, his armor dusted with leaves, and his eyes alert.
"You were gone long," Arya said, hiding her smile behind the cooking pot.
Luther grinned, dropping the catch with quiet pride. "Rabbits are hard to find near magical shores. I had to earn these."
Selena raised a brow. "Do paladins also cook?"
Luther made a mock bow. "I cook with divine intensity."
The group shared breakfast—a mix of Arya's porridge and Luther's roasted catch. The meal was humble, but their laughter warmed it.
Afterward, they took time to rest and explore. They found a quiet waterfall not far inland, its waters glowing faintly with magic. Selena dipped her feet in while Arya braided flowers into her hair. Luther sat on a boulder sharpening his sword, sneaking glances when he thought Arya wasn't watching.
Later, as the sun dipped lower and cast long golden shadows, they gathered around the fire once more. Luther told stories of Markas—of their first sparring match as boys, how Markas broke a training sword and still won with just a wooden shield. Selena listened, eyes misty but grateful. Arya asked questions, laughing at the ridiculous ones. Their grief softened into memory, their fear into hope.
And then—just before sleep claimed them—Selena stood and looked up at the stars.
"We'll raise him right," she whispered, mostly to herself. "With laughter. With courage. With love."
Luther placed a hand on her shoulder. Arya leaned against her side. The three of them—broken, hunted, and far from any home—looked up at the heavens, feeling the slow stitching of something sacred.
Not just survival.
But family.
Next morning Selena, Arya and Luther went to gather food, Selena walked ahead, her hand resting on the hilt of her dagger. Arya moved just behind her, scanning the trees. Luther took the rear, one hand on the curved bow strapped to his back.
They had ventured out to forage—berries, roots, maybe even river fish if they were lucky.
But luck had something else in store.
In a small clearing nestled between the gnarled roots of a great willow, they found him.
A boy—barely ten years old—curled on his side, barefoot and bruised, unconscious.
A small, leather-bound book was clutched tightly in his arms.
Selena knelt beside him, brushing damp hair from his forehead. "He's breathing," she whispered. "But barely."
When he stirred, it was with a soft groan. His eyes fluttered open—green, sharp, but distant, as if something had been knocked loose inside him.
"Where… where am I?" he asked, voice small.
"Safe," Arya said, crouching beside Selena. "You're safe now."
He looked down at the book in his arms, gripping it like a lifeline.
Luther frowned. "What's your name, boy?"
The child blinked at them all. Then slowly, cautiously, he answered.
"Kael. I… I think I'm Kael."
"And your family?" Selena asked gently. "Where are they?"
Kael hesitated, then glanced down again. "I… don't remember much. Just… we lived deep in the jungle. My mother told me never to stray far from her."
There was a pause.
"Who was your mother?" Luther asked carefully.
Kael answered without fear, but with a strange clarity.
"Anora. She said she was an archmage."
The forest seemed to go still.
Even the wind stopped.
"Anora?" Arya echoed, voice tight. "As in… the Anora?"
Selena's hand gripped her cloak tighter. "The most powerful arcmage Aeloria ever saw," she whispered. "She disappeared… what? Eleven years ago?"
Luther nodded slowly. "It fits. If she fled, if they were hunting her… he'd have been just a baby."
"I remember," Kael said softly. "We heard a sound in the trees—deep and loud, like something old was waking up. My mother gave me this book and told me to run. As fast as I could. I think I did."
He lowered his eyes.
"I don't know what happened to her."
Arya stepped forward, her voice low but kind. "Would you come with us?"
He hesitated for only a moment, then nodded.
"I don't have any other choice. Have I?"