Arin only broke her gaze when people began moving and adjusting to give way for the Emperor. She found herself shifting backwards almost without realizing it, the movement blocked and guided by the shifting bodies around her.
She felt glad for the distraction, but she couldn't help instinctively searching for the princess with her eyes.
Because the princess had stared at her longer than for her to not worry or think it meant nothing.
When Arin's eyes finally found the princess again, even with the crowd still nudging her backwards, she saw her walking ahead. The princess moved with calm purpose toward her assigned place for the Emperor and stood by the side, completely composed, her posture flawless and her gaze fixed straight ahead.
Arin released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. A composed presence meant everything was okay—or at least as okay as it could be. Yet she wasn't sure if she should feel relieved just yet.
