Maya stepped out of her chamber, the heavy doors closing softly behind her.
The palace corridors were already alive with quiet movement. Servants passed with trays and linens, guards stood along the walls, and the tall windows let in pale morning light that stretched across the stone floors.
She walked slowly, still adjusting to the layers of fabric around her.
How do people breathe in this? she wondered.
As she turned a corner, she nearly walked straight into someone.
She stopped short.
"Oh—"
Standing in front of her was Alaric.
Darcien's right-hand man looked exactly the same as the night before—perfectly composed, posture straight, dark hair tied neatly behind him, not a single strand out of place.
Maya stared.
Alaric inclined his head politely. "Princess Elowen."
She blinked, then leaned slightly closer, squinting at him like she was examining a rare artifact.
"…I'm sorry," she said slowly, "but this is starting to bother me."
Alaric waited.
"What do you use?" she asked.
"…Excuse me?"
"Your hair," she said, pointing at it. "And your skin. It's unfair."
Alaric remained completely still.
"You wake up like this every day?" she continued. "No oils? No herbs? No secret forest shampoo?"
A servant walking past nearly choked trying not to laugh.
Alaric ignored it.
"I assure you, Princess, there is no secret," he said evenly.
"Lies," Maya replied immediately.
He turned and began walking down the corridor again, clearly intending to continue his duties.
Maya followed him.
"So it's natural?" she pressed. "Or is it some warrior thing? Do soldiers here have special routines? Because if that's the case, I need to know."
Alaric kept walking, barely acknowledging her presence.
"Do you moisturize?" she asked.
Nothing.
"Exfoliate?"
Silence.
"Hair masks?"
He finally stopped and turned toward her.
"Princess," he said calmly, "do you not have anything to occupy your time?"
Maya opened her mouth to answer—
Then she paused.
Oh.
Right.
"Darcien," she said suddenly.
Alaric raised an eyebrow slightly.
"I was actually looking for him," she said, as if remembering it just now. "Do you know where he is?"
Alaric studied her for a moment, clearly trying to decide whether she was serious.
"He is in the training grounds," he said at last.
Maya's eyes lit up.
"Training grounds?"
She spun around immediately.
"Thanks!" she called over her shoulder as she hurried down the corridor.
Alaric watched her disappear.
Then he sighed very quietly and continued walking the opposite direction.
Somehow, the palace had become significantly louder since the princess arrived.