Aldric raised his head and straightened up.
*It's not like I'm dying to serve you. I'm only here because of my sister.*
Flashback.
Aldric and Lyriana had just finished cleaning up the hallway after the fight between Draven and Aldric.
"Okay, now that we've finished cleaning up, it's time to go," Aldric said.
He turned around and started walking.
After taking a few steps, however, he stopped and turned back toward Lyriana, who was still standing in the same spot.
"Hey, what are you doing? Let's go."
"I'm not leaving," she replied.
Aldric's eyes widened.
"What are you talking about?"
Lyriana looked at him.
"We came here to find him. We might have missed him, but there's still a chance he could return."
Aldric thought for a moment.
*I guess she's right. If there's even a one percent chance he'll come back here, then it's worth staying.*
He looked at Lyriana.
"So, what's your plan? It's not like they'll just let us stay here."
"I'm going to work as a maid," she replied.
"A maid no way? Why would they let us work here after what just happened? And you heard what the kid said, right?"
Aldric pointed at himself.
"And am I supposed to work as a maid too?"
Lyriana simply stared at him without saying anything.
---
Back in the dining room, Aldric stood in the corner.
*And now I'm stuck here waiting for him.*
Draven's mother turned toward him.
"Honey, what do you think of Hannah? She seemed lovely. Do you like her?"
Draven continued eating.
*Do I like her? I guess.*
*Even if she almost shot an arrow through my head, it's not like I hate her.*
He swallowed his food.
"Yes."
His mother smiled.
"I'm so glad to hear that, darling. Because, well, I may have already spoken with Olivia."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"Nothing is official, of course, but we may have gotten a little ahead of ourselves. We discussed the possibility of an engagement. She's going to speak with Hannah about it."
She looked at Draven warmly.
"But in the end, the decision rests entirely with you and her. So, tell me, what's in your heart, my dear?"
Draven, who had been eating while listening to his mother, suddenly began coughing.
Lyriana, standing nearby, immediately offered him a goblet of water.
"Young Master, please drink this."
She held it out with steady hands.
Draven took the goblet of water and quickly started drinking.
*Damnit! What the hell? I thought she was just asking if I liked Hannah, not if I liked her like that!*
He put the goblet down and said, "Mom, I think I'm still too young to get married. And she's older than me, too."
*Or am I actually way older than her? She might be twenty, but she still looks like a ten-year-old.*
His mother smiled.
"My dear, in the eyes of the First Trees, what is a handful of years but a single breath in the span of our lives? Among elves, such a difference is nothing at all. We live for centuries. Trust me, honey, those few years will fade into insignificance before you've even truly begun your journey."
*I guess, but I don't really care. I'm not looking to get married anytime soon.*
"But Mom, I think we're both still young. Isn't this a little too soon?"
His mother smiled again.
"And yet, you're old enough to protest with such seriousness. No one's asking for a wedding tomorrow, honey. But these conversations start early among our people, not to hasten love, but to let it grow if it will. You have time."
His father joined in.
"You're both young. She's just a few years ahead of you, not lifetimes. In a century, you'll laugh at the thought that it mattered. Get to know her. That's what the engagement is for—not to wed you off, but to see if you two can walk the same path."
Draven looked at his father.
*Damnit, old man! I thought you'd be on my side here, but I didn't think you'd go ahead and fuck me over like this! I guess I should've refused from the start when this was brought up, but now refusing isn't even an option.*
Draven wiped his mouth with a napkin and continued thinking.
*But I guess it's not that bad. She's beautiful, and in about a hundred years, she'll turn into a fine woman.*
He looked at his mother with a smile.
"Alright, Mom. I agree to the engagement."
His mother beamed.
"Oh, honey! That's wonderful news! I'm so glad you've made this decision. Let's all hope it turns out well and that Hannah agrees to the engagement, too."