The carriage moved steadily through the grasslands.
No sudden turns.
No interruptions.
Just the rhythmic creaking of wood, the rolling of wheels, and the steady pounding of hooves against open earth.
Inside, the atmosphere was… different.
Not tense.
Not exactly relaxed either.
Something in between.
The kind of silence that comes after surviving something you weren't sure you'd walk away from.
Roran sat near the front, his back resting against the wooden frame, arms crossed as his head tilted slightly downward. His breathing was even now, but exhaustion still lingered in his posture.
Soren leaned by the rear opening, one hand gripping the edge, eyes scanning the distance behind them out of habit more than necessity.
Lyra sat beside Marlis, carefully wrapping a cloth around her arm, tightening it just enough to support but not strain.
"Hold still," Lyra murmured.
"I am holding still," Marlis replied, though her lips curved faintly.
"You're not."
"I am."
"You moved."
"I breathed."
Lyra sighed.
"That counts."
A faint chuckle escaped Marlis.
Small.
But real.
Across from them, Astra lay stretched out along the bench, one leg lazily hanging off the side.
"Wake me if we're dying again," she muttered.
"You're already dying," Soren replied dryly.
"Then don't wake me."
Riven sat quietly near the center.
Nyss beside him.
Closer than before.
Not touching.
But close enough that the space between them felt intentional.
For a while, neither spoke.
Just listening.
Just being.
Then
Nyss shifted slightly.
"…You're quieter than usual."
Riven glanced at her.
"…That's a bad thing?"
She shook her head lightly.
"No."
A pause.
"It's just… different."
Riven looked down at his hands.
Flexed his fingers slightly.
"…A lot's different."
That was an understatement.
Nyss studied him for a moment.
Then softly
"…You scared me."
Riven didn't look up immediately.
"…Yeah."
"I thought I lost you."
That made him pause.
He turned to her now.
Really looked at her.
"…I'm still here."
Nyss held his gaze.
"…I know."
A small silence followed.
Then
A faint bump in the road shifted the carriage slightly.
Astra groaned.
"Who's driving this thing"
"Careful," Alaki's voice came from outside.
"Or you can walk."
"…I take it back," Astra muttered.
The group continues to chat till nightfall
By the time the sun began to dip below the horizon, the grasslands had changed.
The bright greens softened into deeper shades.
Gold turned to amber.
Then slowly
Darkness.
Alaki guided the carriage toward a slightly elevated patch of land.
"Good place to stop," he called.
"Visibility's clear."
Eryx, riding alongside, gave a small nod.
"Set camp."
The carriage came to a halt.
One by one, they stepped out.
Stretching.
Breathing.
Adjusting to solid ground again.
The air was cooler now.
The wind gentler.
A small fire was built quickly Roran handling most of it, his hands steady despite fatigue.
Soon, flames flickered to life.
Casting warm light against tired faces.
They gathered around it.
Not tightly.
But close enough.
Because after everything
No one wanted distance.
The Camp was set.
For a while, conversation stayed light.
Simple.
Grounding.
Soren poked at the fire with a stick.
"If this thing goes out, I'm blaming Roran."
Roran didn't even look at him.
"If it goes out, it's because you're talking too much."
Lyra smiled faintly.
"That's fair."
Marlis leaned back slightly, watching the flames.
"…It's quiet."
Astra, sitting cross-legged now, glanced around.
"Enjoy it."
A pause.
"It won't last."
No one argued with that.
Nyss sat beside Riven again.
Their shoulders almost touching.
Not quite.
But close.
Comfortably close.
Riven stared into the fire.
Lost in thought.
Until
"Walk with me."
Eryx's voice.
Calm.
From behind him.
Riven looked up.
Met his gaze.
"…Sure."
He stood.
Brushed his hands lightly.
Then followed.
They walked a short distance away from camp.
Far enough that the voices faded.
Close enough that the fire still flickered in the distance.
Eryx stopped first.
Hands in his pockets.
Looking up at the night sky.
"…You've grown."
Riven stood beside him.
"…I had to."
A small pause.
Eryx nodded slightly.
"Yeah."
Silence stretched between them for a moment.
Then
"…Your mother."
That got Riven's attention.
He turned slightly.
Eryx didn't look at him yet.
"…She was stronger than most."
A faint breath.
"Stubborn too."
Riven's expression softened slightly.
"…Sounds familiar."
Eryx smirked faintly.
"Yeah."
A pause.
Then his tone shifted just slightly.
More serious.
"You know what it means… right?"
Riven frowned.
"…What?"
Eryx finally looked at him.
"Being Nocturne."
The word settled.
Heavy.
Riven exhaled slowly.
"…Half, at least."
Eryx shook his head.
"No."
A beat.
"You don't get 'half' of that."
That… was new.
Riven frowned slightly.
"…Then what am I?"
Eryx's eyes narrowed just a little.
"Something rare."
A pause.
"And something dangerous."
Not threatening.
Just honest.
Riven looked back toward the camp.
Toward Nyss.
"…Story of my life."
Eryx followed his gaze.
And that's when his expression shifted again.
Subtle.
But noticeable.
"…Speaking of."
Riven blinked.
"…What?"
Eryx tilted his head slightly.
"What's the deal between you and the princess?"
Riven froze for half a second.
"…What?"
Eryx raised a brow.
"You heard me."
A small smirk.
"You both keep saying 'fated mates.'"
He crossed his arms.
"But that doesn't just… happen."
A pause.
"Especially not that fast."
Riven scratched the back of his head slightly.
"…It's… complicated."
Eryx gave him a look.
"I've got time."
Riven sighed.
Then
"…It started during my first months."
Eryx listened.
Quiet.
Focused.
"My first real fight with Kael."
Riven's jaw tightened slightly.
"I lost control."
A pause.
"I went berserk."
Eryx didn't interrupt.
"She tried to stop me."
Riven continued.
"Reached into my core…"
His eyes lowered slightly.
"…and in doing that, she exposed hers."
A small silence.
"…Our energies connected."
Eryx's expression sharpened slightly.
"…Connected how?"
Riven exhaled.
"…Intertwined."
Another pause.
"Locked."
"…Sealed."
He looked up again.
"…That's how it happened."
Silence followed.
Eryx processed that.
Then
"…Huh."
Riven frowned.
"…That's it?"
Eryx shrugged slightly.
"Not what I expected."
Then his expression shifted.
Slightly amused.
"So…"
He glanced at Riven sideways.
"…you both feel it, don't you?"
Riven blinked.
"…Feel what?"
Eryx smirked.
"The pull."
A pause.
"That connection."
Riven hesitated.
Then
"…Yeah."
Honest.
"…Almost all the time."
Eryx let out a quiet chuckle.
Then
"…So you two haven't"
Riven's brain caught up instantly.
His face turned red almost immediately.
"NO no no no we haven't"
Eryx burst out laughing.
Riven waved his hands slightly, flustered.
"I mean not like that, I haven't, we didn't, it's not."
He stopped.
Exhaled.
"…I haven't even seen her like that."
A pause.
"…Except once but that was an accident and that's not what you think"
Eryx laughed harder.
"Relax."
Riven groaned.
"Come on man."
"Oh my God."
Eryx wiped a tear from his eye.
"…Man, look at you."
Still smiling.
"All red and flustered."
Riven looked away.
"…Shut up."
Eryx shook his head.
Still amused.
"I'm just messing with you."
A pause.
Then softer
"…You like her."
Not a question.
Riven didn't answer immediately.
Then
"…Yeah."
Simple.
Real.
Eryx nodded slowly.
"Thought so."
He turned slightly.
Looking back toward the fire.
"…Just don't lose yourself in it."
That landed.
Different tone now.
More serious.
Riven nodded once.
"…I won't."
Eryx studied him for a second longer.
Then
"Good."
He turned fully.
Started walking back.
"…Get some rest."
A pause.
"We move early."
Riven watched him go.
Then looked back at the sky.
Stars scattered endlessly above.
Quiet.
Calm.
For now.
He exhaled slowly.
Then turned
And walked back toward the fire.
Toward his people.
Toward her.