"Once someone told me girls could cry a river. I didn't believe them back then. Now I do."
Eden spoke quietly as the knights sat a little distance away from Aria, giving her space. She hadn't stopped crying since their master had parted ways from them. At least two of them had to keep hold of her the entire time—to stop her from running after him.
Even now, no one dared let her out of sight.
Lenn was the first to look away when Eden spoke. Unlike Eden's light-hearted tone, he looked worried. He bit his lip and said softly,
"She hasn't eaten… since last night."
It was now nighttime again. They'd been on the move since early morning and hadn't dared stop long enough for a proper meal.
At Lenn's words, Tristan shot him a sharp glance.
"So haven't we, little Lenn."
"But she's not like us." Lenn insisted.
"We can push through, but without food or water, she'll collapse. And we still have a long journey ahead."
"She's not some kind of queen that needs to be pampered," Tristan snapped.
Lenn flinched at Tristan's tone. But Linus, usually quiet and reserved, gave Tristan a sharp glare and muttered,
"Keep your annoying ass to yourself."
Eden chuckled, while Tristan turned angrily toward Linus.
"You—"
"Enough."
Maxim's voice cut through the tension, calm but firm. Everyone fell silent immediately. As the eldest and most experienced knight, Maxim was the one in charge while their master was away.
Looking at Tristan, he added, "Don't forget what the master ordered."
Tristan clenched his jaw but didn't say another word.
"Get the food ready," Maxim ordered, then sighed as he took on the hardest task of all.
Aria sat alone on a stone, wiping her nose with a small cloth. Her eyes were red and swollen, and fat tears still filled them, though she tried not to let them fall.
A shadow fell over her. She flinched slightly, but didn't look up—until Maxim knelt in front of her.
"My lady…"
She didn't respond.
"Aria" he said gently.
This time, she looked at him.
Relieved, Maxim held out his water pouch. Her dry, chapped lips parted, but she didn't take it. Instead, she stared at him and said for what felt like the hundredth time that day,
"Rayan!"
Maxim paused. Then he picked up a stick and began drawing in the sand.
Before leaving, he had seen stick like figures drawn on the ground. Maxim had felt amused seeing his always silent and reserved master finding ways to communicate with someone.
When had he knows he would have to use the same method later!
He drew a line, then seven stick figures on one side—representing the knights.
Aria watched closely. It was how Rayan had once tried to communicate with her.
Then Maxim drew a single figure on the other side of the line. Pointing at it, he said,
"Rayan."
A knight never addressed his master by name, but this time, Maxim made an exception.
Aria's eyes lit up. Then Maxim drew a line connecting Rayan to the others.
So… Rayan was coming back?
Aria's tears finally spilled again—but this time, it wasn't from despair.
She reached for the water pouch with one hand while wiping her tears with the other. As she drank, the rest of the knights paused in their work and watched.
"Is she… okay now?" Lenn asked, stepping closer to Magnus.
Aria was smiling at Maxim, though her face was still tear-streaked.
Magnus, usually full of answers, looked unsure.
"I guess so."
Tristan rolled his eyes. Eden chuckled.
"Well, at least she's drinking and eating again. Who knew our old man was so good with women?"
Half an hour later, they were all gathered around the fire with their food.
The cold deepened as the night wore on. Aria wrapped her hands around a warm bowl of vegetable soup, feeling a bit of comfort in the heat.
They'd managed to cook soup just for her. The others were eating dried meat. Knowing now that Rayan would return, she looked at each of them in turn.
She had thought they didn't like her. They hadn't even slept in the same room with her last night—only Rayan had.
Was it because they didn't want her around?
But now, they'd cooked for her in Rayan's absence.
Maybe… they weren't so bad.
Aria smiled quietly to herself and drank the salty soup.
Later, Maxim laid out a blanket on the ground for her.
Seeing there was only one blanket, Aria looked around in confusion. She glanced at Maxim.
He pointed toward a nearby tree.
Then, to her surprise, he sat down beneath it and leaned back, finally resting after the long day.
Aria frowned, looking at the others. Each of them had also chosen a tree and settled down against it.
She opened her own small bundle and found one blanket and a thinner cloth inside. Thankfully, she had taken some basic supplies when she left her hut.
She picked up the blanket and walked over to Maxim. Gently, she covered him with it.
Maxim, sensing her approach and the warmth of the blanket, opened his eyes. He saw her walking toward Lenn and Linus next, holding the other cloth. A small smile crossed his lips before he closed his eyes again.
Aria had just reached Lenn and Linus when Lenn gave her a shy smile.
"We picked up a few blankets from the inn this morning."
Then, realizing she wouldn't understand, he pulled a blanket from their supplies and covered them both.
So Aria moved on, glancing at the remaining three.
Magnus gave her a warm smile and gestured that he was fine. Tristan looked away quickly, clearly hoping she wouldn't come to him.
Eden, however, held out his hand and said,
"I could use something to cover myself. This guy snores like a pig."
He pointed at Tristan, who ignored him.
Aria handed him the cloth and finally lay down herself.
Exhausted, she closed her eyes.
Sleep came quickly.
But not for long.
Around midnight, Lenn's frightened voice woke everyone up.