Extra Chapter 14 – A Visit from Old Allies (POV Luna)
The castle felt warmer today. Not just from the golden afternoon light filtering through the arched windows or the crackling fire in the great hall, but from something deeper. A sense of familiarity. Of homecoming.
It had been a long time since our halls had been filled with laughter—not the tense, wary kind, but something genuine. Something we had almost forgotten how to share.
But today, that warmth had returned.
I watched from my place near the hearth, rocking Aurora in my arms as voices echoed through the hall. The scent of spiced wine and freshly baked bread lingered in the air, mingling with the scent of pine from the garlands hung along the stone walls.
Across the room, Kael stood with his arms crossed, wearing his usual unreadable expression as he surveyed the gathering. Even after all this time, he still carried himself like a warrior—sharp, calculating, prepared for an ambush that would never come.
But then his gaze flicked to Nalia, and I saw it—the subtle way his shoulders eased, the ghost of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Peace looked good on them.
Nalia, ever radiant, was speaking animatedly to Rhydian, her hands moving expressively as she recounted something from their past. Whatever it was had my husband shaking his head, half amused, half exasperated.
I smiled to myself. Some things never changed.
"Are you going to keep staring at us, or are you going to let me hold my goddaughter?"
Kael's voice cut through my thoughts, and I turned to find him standing beside me, arms folded, one brow raised in challenge.
I arched a brow in return. "I don't recall naming you her godfather."
"You will," he said, unfazed. "Hand her over."
I hesitated for half a heartbeat. Kael had always been ruthless on the battlefield, known for his cold efficiency, his willingness to do whatever it took to win. The idea of him holding something as small and fragile as my daughter should have felt unnatural.
But as soon as I placed Aurora in his arms, something shifted.
Kael stiffened slightly, as if afraid he might break her. But when Aurora stirred, letting out a soft sound before settling again, his entire expression changed. His usual mask of indifference faltered, replaced by something I had never seen before.
Something achingly tender.
"She's so small," he murmured, almost to himself.
I watched as he adjusted his hold instinctively, his hands careful, reverent.
Beside me, Nalia smirked. "You look like you're holding a grenade."
Kael shot her a glare, but there was no real heat behind it. "She's a princess. The future of this kingdom. If anyone should be careful, it's me."
I exchanged a look with Nalia, who rolled her eyes fondly.
"She's also a baby," I said, unable to hide my amusement. "And you're allowed to be less terrifying for once in your life, you know."
Kael ignored me, his gaze fixed on Aurora. For a long moment, he was silent.
Then, so quietly I almost missed it, he muttered, "She looks like you."
A lump formed in my throat.
I wasn't sure why that simple statement hit so hard, but it did. Maybe because Kael had never been one for unnecessary sentiment. Maybe because, deep down, I had been afraid that Aurora would grow up in a world that still carried the shadows of our past.
But seeing him now, holding her with such unexpected softness, I realized something.
The war was over.
Not just the battles fought with swords and blood, but the ones we had waged within ourselves. The ones that had left us believing we could never have this kind of peace.
We had survived.
And now, we were learning how to live.
A quiet laugh pulled me from my thoughts, and I turned to see Rhydian watching Kael with an amused smirk.
"Never thought I'd see the day," Rhydian mused. "Kael, the softhearted."
Kael shot him a glare. "Don't push your luck."
Nalia snorted. "Oh, please. I caught you staring at baby shoes the other day. If that's not softhearted, I don't know what is."
Kael looked vaguely murderous. "I was—" He cut himself off, exhaling sharply. "It was a strategic observation."
"Uh-huh," Nalia said, smirking. "Sure."
Laughter filled the room, warm and easy, wrapping around us like a long-lost embrace.
I leaned against Rhydian, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath me. His arm slid around my waist, pulling me closer, and for a moment, we simply watched our friends.
Kael, awkwardly cradling Aurora like she was the most precious thing in the world. Nalia, poking fun at him while also watching him with something soft in her eyes.
It was strange, seeing them like this.
We had all been soldiers once. Survivors. And yet, here we were. Not as warriors, but as people. As family.
Rhydian pressed a kiss to my temple. "You're thinking too hard again."
I smiled, tilting my head to look up at him. "It's strange, isn't it? How much we've changed."
His expression grew thoughtful. "Not strange. Just… long overdue."
I glanced back at Kael, who was now staring at Aurora as if she held the answers to all the world's mysteries.
"You think he'll ever stop looking like he's about to be attacked?" I mused.
Rhydian chuckled. "Doubtful."
I sighed, but there was no real exasperation behind it. Only affection.
Aurora stirred then, a tiny yawn escaping her, and Kael stiffened as if she had just detonated in his arms.
Nalia laughed, stepping forward. "Relax, Kael. She's not going to challenge you to a duel."
Kael muttered something under his breath, carefully passing Aurora back to me. As soon as she was nestled against my chest again, I felt my heart settle.
This was home.
This was peace.
And as I looked around the room—at Kael, at Nalia, at Rhydian beside me—I realized something.
We weren't just surviving anymore.
We were living.
And for the first time in a long, long time, I truly believed that everything was going to be okay.