Leaving Hanlorien town behind, Seraphine and Lionel Kisaragi started walking toward the next major stop: Mizurelle, the water-city. The journey meant several days of walking along the winding Aokrest River, a peaceful body of water known for its clear, blue color.
The Commute Comedy ;)
The arguing started five minutes after they left the town gates.
"You need to walk faster," Lionel muttered, pulling his messy hair out of his eyes.
"I can't walk faster! My feet hurt, and you're taking giant steps!" Seraphine complained, trying to keep up.
"If you didn't keep stopping to look at every single tiny flower, we'd be halfway there," he snapped.
He was still blunt and annoying, saying harsh things, but Seraphine noticed a pattern: he always stopped when she did. He would argue, but he wouldn't actually leave her behind. He was secretly very protective, almost possessive, about her safety.
At one point, they were crossing a small, wobbly wooden bridge over a creek. Seraphine, who was naturally careless, was distracted by a colorful bird flying overhead.
CRACK.
She missed a step entirely. She didn't fall far, but her foot got wedged between two pieces of wood. She was stuck!
"Lionel! I'm stuck!" Seraphine wailed, her expression turning into a mix of panic and "stupid-act adorable" confusion.
Lionel, who was already across, closed his eyes and let out a long, dramatic sigh. He turned back, his fierce face full of irritation. "Unbelievable. You can't even cross a bridge without getting injured."
He didn't yell, though. He walked back, knelt right beside her, and gently helped wiggle her foot free. He checked her ankle before letting go.
"See? This is why you need to stay close to me," he mumbled, standing up quickly and trying to hide the small moment of tenderness.
Seraphine smiled genuinely. "Thank you, Lionel. You're actually very nice sometimes."
Lionel's cheeks instantly went blush red. "I am not nice! I just don't want to carry your stupid bag if you break your leg!" he yelled, walking away quickly to hide his awkwardness.
A Familiar Shadow
As Seraphine and Lionel walked along the scenic Aokrest River, they didn't know that they were being watched by two sets of eyes.
Yuzael Valestrian, the cold prince, had tracked them perfectly. He was riding a powerful, dark horse several miles behind. He wasn't tracking them to stop them; he was tracking them because he was intrigued. He noticed the way Lionel kept slowing down for Seraphine.
"How annoying," Yuzael thought, his face set in his usual nonchalant expression. He pretended not to care about the runaway princess, but he was secretly getting jealous easily. He sped up his horse slightly, determined to close the distance.
Closer still, just out of sight in the thick woods, was Kael Arisugawa. He had witnessed the whole bridge incident, including Lionel's grumpy rescue. Kael smiled. He knew Seraphine was safe for now, but he wouldn't let his rival take all the credit.
He quietly used a slingshot to knock down a beautiful, colorful feather from a rare bird's nest and placed it on the riverbank, right where Seraphine would step next.
Seraphine, always attracted to shiny things, stopped. "Oh, look, Lionel! A beautiful feather! What a lucky find!" she exclaimed, forgetting her sore foot for a moment.
Lionel just scoffed, but Kael, hidden far away, was smiling widely. He had given her a small, happy moment—a silent reminder that someone was making her journey special.