I sighed, gazing at the peaceful view from the newly built bridge. The lake stretched beneath me, its waters clear and still, swans gliding gracefully across its surface. Lilies bloomed in soft pastel shades, their delicate petals swaying with the breeze. The fresh wind brushed against my skin, making my skirt dance until a familiar warmth enveloped me from behind.
It had been two weeks since that dinner, and Thorne and I had settled back into our usual rhythm. He wanted to start a new life together, to truly settle in but I wasn’t ready. The house my aunt left me still felt like home, a place I wasn’t yet willing to leave behind.
Speaking of my aunt… we finally found the graves of our parents both Thorne’s and mine. It was the village chief who led us to them. He had known the truth all along, the tragedy that had taken them from us. Since no one had known of Thorne’s parents, their bodies had been buried in the cemetery at Glacierbrook.
Glacierbrook. A place filled with painful memories. It might have once been a haven for my parents, but it had also been a place of hiding a place of fear. That wasn’t where they belonged. Thorne and I agreed they should rest here instead, somewhere beautiful, somewhere at peace.
Now, they lay together my mother, my father, my aunt, and Thorne’s parents beneath this breathtaking sky, in a place where the wind carries whispers of serenity. We ensured they were buried properly, honoring both tradition and spirit. We even sought the guidance of those who could speak with the dead, just to be certain they were at peace.
So far, there have been no signs of unrest, no lingering shadows of sorrow.
Just quiet.
Just peace.
And I hope, wherever they are, their souls are as happy as we are today.
“What are you doing here, Flower?” He whispered as I felt his lips buried in my neck, planting kisses.  
I giggled. “Stop that, I'm just loving the view,” I murmured, glancing at Thorne, who brought me closer to face him and wrapped his arms around me. 
“Do you like the new bridge?” he asked. I nodded.  
“I didn't know you really built a bridge here” was what I said.  
“Well, it's inconvenient to row a boat into the gazebo if we're bringing our kids here, so a bridge with the same aesthetic at this place would be more handy, wouldn't it?”
I raised an eyebrow, though my pulse quickened at his words. His grip on me was firm yet gentle, pulling me closer in a way that meant something more. A smirk played on my lips.
When he brought me here, the boat ride had felt romantic, a quiet moment just for the two of us. But hearing him talk about a future about us, about children felt even better.
“I know that gesture,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him.
He chuckled, tilting his head slightly. “Really? And what exactly is it?” he asked, amusement dancing in his eyes.
“Don’t play dumb,” I huffed, crossing my arms. “And no, I’m not letting you, not when we’re outside. Full view, Thorne.” I looked away, pretending to be unaffected.
His low chuckle sent shivers down my spine. “Last time I checked, you love the risk.”
My cheeks burned instantly as I turned back to glare at him. “Thorne!”
He only laughed, raising his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright. I’ll behave... for now.”
I smiled at him, rolling my eyes as a sound we were accustomed to reached us Rose and Butler J again fighting. Their voices, even from far away, reached us, their fight as silly as always.
“I explained to you, Rose, how to cut a sandwich, which is diagonally. It is more convenient to eat.”
“For goodness' sake, Butler J! That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Everybody knows sandwiches have to be cut straight down the middle. It's all about balance!”
Thorne sighed, his head shifting. “Do they ever stop?”
I laughed. “Not a chance.”
“I guess we should intervene before they start breaking a few teacups in their brawl,” I laughed awkwardly after him. 
Thorne smirked with a sigh. “At this point, I would be surprised if they did not flip the entire table.”
The closer we got, the louder their argument became. Whatever it was this time, it had to be something ridiculous.
“I told you, the tea should be served after the pastries, not before!” Rose huffed, crossing her arms.
Butler J scoffed. “And I told you, proper etiquette dictates that the tea is poured first! Who in their right mind serves pastries without tea ready?”
Rose threw up her hands. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe someone who actually wants to enjoy their food before it gets cold?!”
Butler J dramatically placed a hand over his chest. “Cold? Cold?! You act as if I served you stale bread from last week! The tea was at perfect drinking temperature, Rose!”
Rose leaned forward, squinting. “Then why did you blow on it before sipping? Hmm?” 
Thorne coughed to hide a laugh, while I bit my lip to keep from smiling.
Butler J straightened his vest. “That was simply a force of habit. Unlike some people, I am refined enough to appreciate the delicate nuances of temperature control.”
Rose gasped. “Oh, some people?! Say that again, J, and I swear I will—”
“Alright, alright,” I cut in before things escalated. “Unless you two want to be buried next to the teacups, maybe sit and enjoy the picnic?”
Thorne shook his head, smirking. “Honestly, at this rate, I’m shocked they haven’t started dueling with the forks.” 
Beyond the gazebo, where Thorne and I sat, a tranquil evening begged to be enjoyed as the sun sank down the horizon, tinting the sky with gold and crimson hues. A gentle breeze brought laughter past us on its way; Butler J and Rose were at it yet again, bickering back and forth.
“The news is that the princess Stellamarisse will be taking some time to volunteer for a medical mission in a village inhabited by monsters and kidnappers. Seems reasonable to suppose that the place would be bandit-infested,” Butler J declared, sipping tea with drama..
“And where do you get the news, from a little dove?” Rose teases as she drinks her tea from a floral teacup.
“I've heard of that this morning and not from a little dove” he said side eyeing Rose as he ate his biscuit. 
“Well if that's the case, it will be very dangerous for the princess, My dear Zaira, is that true? Princess Stella is one of your best friends , am I right?” she asked worriedly. 
“Yes it is, If you think that it is very dangerous for her especially that she's a princess she'll be targeted by the bandits if ever they knew” I said looking at her. “I'll make sure I'll ask that to her, it's normal that their field has that kind of mission since she's a Mana Surgeon” I added. 
“I'm sure the king and his brother have other options for her, it's very dangerous!” Butler J hopped in. 
“Even though Stella is a princess, she signed that she'll be treated normally if she joins as a Mana Surgeon, the course she chooses is very important they treat you as a student they don't care if you're the daughter of a king or a duke” Thorne stepped into the conversation. 
“Besides, It'll be hard for the enemies to attack Stella. Blackwell will be there, I heard that he's the new bodyguard of the princess. If that's the case, Blackwell is too overprotective when it comes to her job” Thorne said. 
“I know Blackwell really is a scary man and know what he's doing but—” 
“Flower, trust me, I've known Blackwell he can handle it. That bastard almost dies from a war yet surprisingly it felt like that guy has nine lives” Thorne smirked.
Rose sighed dramatically, sipping her tea. “Well, if the princess insists on risking her life, I suppose all we can do is hope she returns in one piece.”
Butler J crossed his arms. “She better. I don’t want to deal with a kingdom in uproar if she doesn’t.”
Thorne smirked, shaking his head. “You two bicker like an old married couple.”
Rose gasped. “I beg your pardon?”
Butler J nearly choked on his tea. “Absolutely not!”
I laughed softly, resting my head against Thorne’s shoulder as their argument picked up again. The world beyond this peaceful evening would always be full of uncertainty, but here, with the people I cared for, there was warmth, love, and laughter.
And yet, in the back of my mind, something lingered a quiet unease, a feeling that this peace wouldn’t last forever.
Because somewhere beyond the safety of this moment, a story was unfolding. One that none of us could yet see.
To be continued