The first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the canvas, painting the inside of the tent in soft shades of gold.
Birds chirped from the surrounding trees, replacing the chorus of insects that had filled the night.
I slowly opened my eyes.
"...Mmm."
Something warm shifted against me.
Looking down, I found Syllia still asleep, curled up against my chest exactly where she'd been when we'd fallen asleep. One arm was draped around my waist while her head rested comfortably beneath my chin.
She looked... peaceful.
Smiling to myself, I carefully brushed a loose strand of blond hair away from her face.
"...You're adorable."
"Mmm..."
Her nose scrunched slightly before she buried herself even deeper against me.
"...Five more minutes..."
I blinked.
"...Did you just sleep-talk?"
She answered with nothing more than another sleepy hum.
"...Mmhmm..."
I couldn't help but laugh quietly while Gently running my hands through her hair
"...Syllia"
No response.
"...Syllia."
Still nothing.
I leaned down until my lips were beside her pointed ear.
"Breakfast."
Her ears twitched.
One emerald eye slowly peeked open.
"...That's cheating."
"It worked."
"You whispered in my ear..."
"I did."
She let out an exaggerated sigh before reluctantly opening both eyes.
"...Good morning."
"Good morning."
For a few seconds neither of us moved.
We simply smiled at one another.
Then...
Realization struck.
Her cheeks instantly turned bright red.
"...We kissed."
"We did..." I whispered, a warm smile finding its way onto my lips. "And I hope there are many more mornings like this."
Her expression softened, I leaned in, closing the small distance between us. My lips met hers in a slow, gentle kiss.
I felt her body tremble ever so slightly beneath my touch. A heartbeat later, she melted into the kiss, softly returning it with the same quiet affection
"As much as I'd love to stay like this a little longer..." I murmured with a reluctant smile, "I think we should start getting ready. The caravan will probably be leaving soon."
Slowly nodding,
"Yes your right.. They will want to get going soon"
Reluctantly, we let go of each other and crawled out of the tent. The crisp morning air greeted us as we stepped into the clearing. Taking a moment to look around, I spotted several of the merchants gathered around a large cook pot, already preparing breakfast before the caravan continued its journey.
The campsite was slowly coming to life. Merchants were folding blankets, packing wagons, and extinguishing the last of the night's campfires while the mercenaries made their final rounds of the perimeter.
Syllia and I spent the next few minutes taking down our tent and rolling up our bedrolls. Once everything was neatly packed away, we carried our gear back over to the others. Walking over to Markus who was busy securing the last of his supplies, Seeing us coming he stopped turning around to greet us.
"Hey you two, Sleep well?"
Syllia nodded enthusiastically "Yeah we did!"
"Glad to hear it, Leave your things here if you wish, head over and grab some food before we hit the road again"
Dropping our gear beside the wagon, we made our way over to the same fallen log we'd shared the night before. Before long, two steaming bowls of stew were passed our way. The aroma was just as inviting as it had been the previous evening, rich with herbs and slow-cooked vegetables.
Cradling the warm bowl in my hands, I glanced over at Syllia. She was already happily digging in, savoring each bite.
Smiling to myself, I picked up the wooden spoon and took a few mouthfuls of my own.
The stew was undeniably delicious. The broth was rich and hearty, layered with the flavors of fresh herbs and fragrant spices. Whoever had made it clearly knew what they were doing.
But despite how wonderful it tasted...
That same hollow feeling lingered.
I absentmindedly stirred the remaining stew around my bowl with my spoon.
By the time I looked up again, Syllia had already finished eating. She had turned toward me, resting her chin in her hand as she quietly watched me with a complicated expression.
"Not gonna finish it?"
"No, I don't think so.. It taste great, just like last nights.. I just have no desire to eat it" I turned slightly holding the bowel out towards her "You want the rest?"
"Though... I think I should ask them to serve me smaller portions from now on. If I keep barely eating anything, people are bound to start asking questions."
Syllia nodded as she swallowed another bite.
"Yeah... that might be for the best."
Setting her bowl aside, she reached over and gently rubbed my arm, her expression turning soft.
"But Lucy..."
I looked up at her.
"If you need to feed..." she said quietly, "please tell me. Don't push yourself just because you're worried about me... or what everyone else might think."
"I will."
Leaning closer until my lips were just beside her ear, I lowered my voice to a whisper.
"Though, to be honest..."
A smile tugged at my lips.
"...I don't think I'll ever be able to get enough of you."
I lightly brushed my tongue against the tip of her ear before pulling back with a playful grin.
Syllia's entire body shivered.
"L-Lucy!"
Her face turned a brilliant shade of crimson as she quickly covered the ear I'd just teased, glaring at me with all the indignation she could muster. She glanced around quickly and noticed a few people looking at us with a amused expression on their face,
"Lucy!" Syllia whispered, her face burning crimson. "People are watching us. You can't just do that in front of everyone."
I smiled innocently.
"Let them."
Reaching up, I gently cupped her warm cheek, brushing my thumb across her flushed skin.
"I'm simply making it clear that you belong to me."
Her emerald eyes widened for a heartbeat before she looked away, unable to hide the smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Y-You're impossible..."
At the far edge of the clearing, four mercenaries sat together around the remains of their breakfast.
One of them was the same man who had approached our tent the previous night.
Every one of them was staring in our direction.
Their expressions had darkened considerably.
I figured it was only a matter of time before someone made a move.
I kept my smile on my face for Syllia's sake, but my attention lingered on them for just a moment longer.
Not yet...
My gaze drifted back to Syllia as she tried—and failed—to hide her embarrassment.
I'll deal with them before we leave the next village.
The last thing I want is for Syllia to get dragged into whatever they're planning.
As if sensing my eyes on her, she looked up and smiled.
Instantly, the irritation I'd felt melted away.
No matter what happens... I'll make sure that smile stays on her face.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It didn't take long before the caravan was on the move again. Less than ten minutes after everyone had finished breakfast, the camp had vanished without a trace. Tents were folded away, wagons reloaded, and the horses hitched once more.
Syllia and I climbed back into Markus's wagon, settling comfortably into the spacious interior for what would likely be several hours of travel before reaching the next village.
The journey passed surprisingly quickly.
We talked about anything and everything that came to mind—our favorite colors, strange animals Syllia had seen growing up, the different herbs she could identify at a glance, and the countless questions she still had about vampires.
It didn't take me long to notice something adorable about her.
The moment Syllia became excited about a topic, there was no stopping her.
Her emerald eyes would light up, her hands would start moving as she spoke, and she'd bounce from one story to the next without even realizing she'd been talking for several minutes straight.
She would occasionally pause, suddenly realizing she'd monopolized the conversation.
"...Ah..."
A blush would spread across her cheeks.
"...I'm talking too much again, aren't I?"
I'd simply smile and shake my head.
"Not even close."
Her shoulders would relax, and before long she'd be enthusiastically talking again.
As the ride drew to a close, Markus glanced back at us from the driver's seat.
"We're almost there," he said. "There's a decent inn in the village where we'll be staying for the night."
A knowing smile spread across his face as his eyes flicked between Syllia and me.
"I'm guessing you two would appreciate a little privacy, so I'd recommend getting a room before the rest of the caravan shows up. The good ones tend to disappear fast."
Syllia's cheeks immediately flushed, while I simply smiled.
"Once you've settled in, feel free to look around and enjoy yourselves," Markus continued. "We'll be heading out again around noon tomorrow, so just make sure you're back here before then."
"Sounds good," I replied with a nod.
"Thank you, Markus," Syllia added, still trying to hide the pink tint on her cheeks.
He chuckled to himself before turning his attention back to the road.
"Don't mention it."
"Oh, that reminds me," I said, speaking up from the back of the wagon. "Once we get moving again... were you expecting us to take turns on night watch?"
Markus looked back over his shoulder, clearly puzzled.
"Night watch?" he repeated. "Why would you two be doing that?"
He chuckled.
"That's exactly what we hired the mercenaries for. Their job is to keep everyone safe while the rest of us sleep."
"I was just curious," I replied with an easy smile. "It crossed my mind, that's all."
"If we ever needed extra hands, I'd ask," Markus said. "But honestly, I'd rather you two get a good night's sleep."
With that, he turned his attention back to the road, ending the conversation.
I knew he was lying.
Last night had made one thing painfully obvious: A few of the mercenaries wasn't interested in guarding the caravan. They'd been interested in Syllia. And they'd been bold enough to make their move on the very first night.
I rested my chin against my hand, gazing out at the passing trees. That makes this easier. People like that rarely stop after one attempt. Which means... it's only a matter of time before he gives me the excuse I'm waiting for.
Syllia, blissfully unaware of the thoughts running through my head, leaned comfortably against my shoulder, quietly humming a tune I didn't recognize. Every so often she'd point out a strange flower growing along the roadside or an oddly shaped tree she'd never noticed before, eagerly sharing little bits of knowledge she'd learned from years of gathering herbs.
I listened with a smile, responding whenever she asked me a question, but part of my attention never left the mercenaries riding farther ahead.
Every now and then one of them would glance back toward our wagon.
I pretended not to notice.
Keep watching.
It won't be much longer.
The forest gradually began to thin, the towering trees giving way to rolling fields dotted with patches of farmland. Small wooden fences lined either side of the road, enclosing grazing sheep and cattle that lazily lifted their heads as the caravan passed.
"We're close," Markus called without looking back. "Another ten minutes or so."
Syllia perked up immediately.
"I've never actually been to this village before."
"No?" I asked.
She shook her head.
"I've heard people talk about it, though. Apparently they have a really nice marketplace."
"Oh?"
"And..." She leaned closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "Someone told me there's a bakery that's famous for its honey pastries."
I blinked.
"You seem oddly excited for someone who's talking to a vampire."
She puffed out her cheeks.
"I know you can't really enjoy food..."
"...But I can."
A laugh escaped me.
"Fair point."
"If they're as good as everyone says they are, I'm buying one."
"You mean we're buying one."
She tilted her head.
"But you don't eat."
"I can still watch you enjoy it."
Her ears twitched ever so slightly.
"...That's surprisingly sweet."
"I have my moments."
She smiled, slipping her hand into mine as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
A few minutes later the road curved around a gentle hill.
As we reached the top, the next village finally came into view.
It was noticeably larger than Syllia's home village, enclosed by a sturdy wooden palisade nearly twice as tall as the previous one. Thin trails of smoke drifted lazily from dozens of chimneys, and even from this distance I could hear the faint murmur of merchants and townsfolk going about their day.
Several guards stood watch at the open gates, chatting casually as travelers came and went along the busy road.
Markus smiled.
"There it is."
"Our stop for the night."