Lucas didn't get to enjoy the peace for long.
Just as he was finally relaxing, savoring the warm food and the quiet comfort of Lira's company, someone pulled out the empty chair across from them and sat down without so much as a word.
Lucas didn't look up right away, but he felt the presence. It wasn't just the sound of the chair scraping against the ground, it was the aura. Calm, confident, proud and entitled.
Lucas slowly lifted his gaze, his expression neutral, but his eyes already cold. The young man that sat before them had finely tailored robes, a polished emblem pinned to his chest, and the kind of well-groomed look that only nobles from the inner court could maintain. He smiled, not at Lucas, but at Lira.
Lira, who had just taken another spoonful of food, froze for a second. She noticed the stranger but didn't acknowledge him. She simply resumed eating, though her posture had subtly shifted, shoulders a little more upright, jaw a little tighter.
