The group walked steadily eastward, the road rising gently into low hills. The sun climbed higher, warming their backs. The two horses trailed behind, led by Seraphina, their hooves clopping in lazy rhythm against the packed dirt.
Lilith—still unused to the open sky, the endless horizon, the sheer space of the surface world—kept glancing at Elise and Seraphina with quiet, unabashed curiosity.
She had spent her life in darkness, confined tunnels and caverns of the dungeon. The concept of kingdoms, borders, and multi-racial societies was as foreign to her as sunlight had once been.
After a particularly long stretch of silence, she finally spoke, voice soft but clear.
"Princess Elise," she began, tilting her head slightly. "Your kingdom… Melium. What is it like?"
Elise looked over her shoulder with a small, surprised smile.
"You want to know about Melium?"
Lilith nodded once.
"I have never seen a kingdom with my own eyes."
