POV: Virginia Halcyon.
There were only a very few things in Virginia's life that had shaken her as much as the death of her childhood friend did.
She had spent years grieving her dear friend, the last moments she had shared with him replaying over and over in her mind as time passed. She had dreamed about him, she had cried for him, she had spent sleepless nights wondering what she could've done differently to make sure that he lived.
Eventually, she had to move on. Being the heir of Halcyon, a family with such a deep influence on the workings of the world, she had to close her heart. Let go of past grievances as she studied, trained and grew to fill the role of a leader.
So when she saw Aris walk into that room today, she had barely managed to hold herself back from breaking down into pieces. To not revert back into that child who all those years ago, had lost her one and only friend.
It had been such a hard task.
She had almost, almost, not recognized him.
