Chapter 5 – A Little More Time
Elarion stood at the bottom of the inn’s front steps, staring up at the polished door as if it might open on its own and solve everything for him. He had been pacing outside for the better part of ten minutes. Not because he was afraid, of course. Certainly not. He had fought in storms, scouted through fog-thick forests, and once spent two hours clinging to the underside of a wyvern nest during a patrol gone sideways. He could handle one noblewoman and a child.
But still. There were too many thoughts crowding his mind.
Should I mention last night? Pretend it didn’t happen? Say thank you? Gods, I should probably say thank you. What if she brings it up first? What if she doesn’t?
He ran a hand through his hair and let out a slow breath. The smart thing to do would be to keep it brief. Collect Ayda, express polite gratitude, then disappear back into the woods before anything else could—
The front door opened.
Elarion froze like a wolf caught mid-step.
Iris stood in the doorway, radiant in morning light and looking far too pleased to see him. Her expression was bright, casual, and faintly amused.
“Well,” she said, smiling teasingly at Elarion, “I was beginning to think you had forgotten you were picking Ayda up.”
Elarion opened his mouth.
Several phrases sprinted through his mind at once, “good morning”, “thank you for last night”, “I didn’t forget”, “please don’t mention the man-room thing”, and somehow, his brain chose all of them at once.
“Goodnight, I mean, thank— I didn’t…”
He exhaled sharply, pressing his lips together like he could shove the words back in.
Iris blinked once. Then smiled.
“Good morning to you too,” she said sweetly, as if nothing had happened.
Elarion cleared his throat and did his best to recover whatever scraps of dignity were still clinging to him.
“Yes,” he said, lifting his chin slightly. “I was going to say that.”
Iris nodded graciously, as though she was allowing him to pretend.
“Where’s Ayda?” he asked, stepping forward.
Just then, the sound of soft, quick footsteps echoed down the hallway.
“Elarion!”
Ayda appeared around the corner at a run, her silver braids bouncing behind her. Her boots tapped against the polished floor as she dashed toward him and threw her arms around his middle, hugging him as tightly as her small frame could manage. He bent to catch her, the motion instinctive, as if nothing in the world made more sense than this. He lifted her slightly off the ground and pressed his cheek gently to the top of her head. His smile bloomed without hesitation — wide, warm, and unguarded.
“There you are,” he murmured. “I’m so glad you’re alright. Don’t you ever scare me like that again, Ayda.”
“I won’t,” she whispered back, squeezing him even tighter.
Behind them, Iris watched the scene quietly, her arms folded loosely at her waist. There was a smile on her face, soft and genuine, but her eyes betrayed the faintest flicker of something else. It wasn’t envy, not exactly, and not sadness either. Something quieter. A passing ache, almost too subtle to name.
Is this what it feels like, she wondered, to be part of a family that reaches for each other without hesitation? Not bound by duty or name but held together by care, quiet and unspoken.
The thought lingered only a moment before she brushed it aside.
“We’re going shopping,” she announced brightly, stepping closer. “Ayda needs new clothes. She’s earned a whole day of picking out what she likes.”
Elarion blinked. “Excuse me?”
He had money. He wasn’t unprepared. The Lythari shared the same currency as the rest of the isle, and his pack traded often enough with nearby settlements. But still… Shopping? In the kinds of places someone like Iris frequented? He didn’t need to see the tailoring to know what kind of shops she meant.
He hesitated, clearly weighing something.
Ayda took his hand and tugged it with determination.
“Please?” she said, her eyes wide and shining. “I never get to choose. The merchants only bring what they can carry, and it’s always the same things. Plain dresses. Brown shoes. No ribbons.”
She tugged again. “I want pretty things too.”
Elarion looked down at her, then over at Iris, who merely raised an elegant eyebrow and waited.
He sighed, defeated in the most tender way. “Fine.”
“Thank you!” Ayda beamed, then immediately ran back to Iris and grabbed her hand with both of hers.
“Let’s go!” she said, practically bouncing on the spot.
Iris laughed and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “We’ll find the nicest shop in the square. You’ll have all the silks and sparkles you want, I promise.”
Ayda squealed, and the two of them began walking ahead together, hand in hand, already chatting about colours and fabrics.
Elarion followed a few steps behind, quietly watching them. The city still pressed around him with its usual noise and bustle, but in that moment, all he could hear was Ayda’s laughter echoing down the street. He didn’t mind the distance.
Not when the view looked like this.
The afternoon had turned golden by the time they reached the shopping square. The streets were lively but not overcrowded, and the sunlight shimmered off the crystal shop windows with a kind of theatrical charm that made everything feel just a little more magical.
Ayda was aglow with the sort of joy that only a child could carry. She darted from one display to the next with wide eyes and delighted gasps, marvelling at the textures and colours, trailing her fingers along silken ribbons and polished buttons. Iris walked beside her, offering soft suggestions and guiding her with practiced ease, asking what she liked and encouraging her to twirl in front of mirrors when she tried something new.
Elarion followed behind them, half in awe and half in quiet alarm as his coin pouch gradually lightened. He had already paid for two dresses and a sturdy new pair of boots. Not extravagant, but lovely, and well made. Ayda had clung to each one with a gasp of approval and a little hop of excitement, which had made it all worth it.
Then they passed a smaller shop tucked between two florists, its windows glittering with glass cases and silver charms. Ayda stopped short.
“Ooh! Elarion, look, look!” she said, pressing both hands to the glass. “It’s a bird necklace! Isn’t it pretty?”
Her voice carried the same delighted pitch of a girl who had just discovered treasure. Elarion stepped beside her and followed her gaze. Inside the window sat a delicate chain of silver, and at its centre hung a small charm shaped like a bird in flight. Its wings were shaped from mother-of-pearl, catching the light with a shimmer like fresh snow.
“It’s perfect,” Ayda whispered. “Can I have it? Please? Pretty please?”
Elarion stepped inside and asked the shopkeeper the price. When it was spoken aloud, he paused. It was not impossible. He still had a few coins tucked safely away for their return journey. Enough for food, water, and perhaps a small gift to the healer they owed back home. But this necklace would leave them stretched thin.
He knelt beside Ayda and smoothed her braid gently behind her ear.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “That necklace is a little too expensive for us today. But I promise, one day I’ll come back here and get it for you.”
Ayda nodded, trying to be brave. She smiled a little, even though her eyes lingered on the bird charm as they left the shop.
As the sun began its descent, Elarion glanced around and noticed Iris was no longer nearby. Just as he turned to look, her voice called out behind them.
“There you two are,” she said cheerfully.
She approached with something hidden behind her back, her eyes bright with mischief.
“Close your eyes,” she told Ayda, kneeling in front of her. “And open your hands.”
Ayda obeyed instantly, her eyes squeezed shut and palms turned upward with perfect trust.
Iris placed something small and cool into her hands.
“Okay,” she said. “You can look now.”
Ayda’s eyes opened and immediately widened. A delighted squeal left her lips.
“The bird!”
Indeed, it was the same necklace. Iris held up her own wrist to show a delicate silver bracelet with a matching charm.
“A set,” she said. “To commemorate our very important meeting.”
Ayda launched forward and threw her arms around her.
“Thank you, Iris! Thank you, thank you!”
Elarion stepped forward, brow furrowed with guilt. “You didn’t have to do that,” he said. “I was going to— I mean, I would have, if…”
“It’s alright,” Iris said gently. “Truly. I wanted to. You bought her clothes and shoes and brought her all the way here. She deserves a little sparkle too.”
She stood, dusting off her skirt with graceful fingers. “Besides, I think it suits her. Don’t you?”
Elarion opened his mouth, then closed it again. He nodded.
“So,” Iris said, glancing between them. “Now that she’s fully outfitted for a tiny kingdom, what’s next for the two of you?”
“We’re heading back to Selathryn,” Elarion replied, his voice quiet but steady.
At this, Ayda’s smile faltered. Her fingers curled around the charm at her neck.
“Oh,” she said softly. “Already?”
Elarion looked down at her and managed a faint smile. “We’ve been gone long enough. They’ll be waiting.”
There was a long pause.
Then Ayda’s face lit up.
“What if Iris comes with us?”
Elarion blinked. “What?”
She turned to him, eyes gleaming with hope. “She could visit! Just for a little while!”
Elarion’s mind raced. His mouth opened, then closed, then opened again.
“Ayda,” he said carefully, “I don’t think— she’s a noblewoman. She probably has a lot going on. We shouldn’t pressure her.”
In truth, his worry had little to do with schedules. He wasn’t sure how the pack would respond to Iris. Outsiders were not forbidden from entering Selathryn, but visits were rare. Traders came and went, and every few years a delegation arrived from the noble houses to discuss the usual matters of territory and treaties. And very occasionally, one of their own brought back a partner from the outside world.
The thought made his ears grow warm, and he gave a subtle shake of his head to push it away.
But before he could say more, Iris tilted her head with a curious smile.
“I’d love to,” she said.
Elarion stared at her. “You don’t have to feel obligated because of Ayda.”
“I’m not,” she replied. “I don’t have any plans, and I think a trip to the grove sounds rather peaceful.”
Ayda clapped her hands in joy. “Yes! Yes, please come!”
Elarion looked between them. Iris’ face was serene but sincere. Ayda’s was nearly glowing.
He sighed, long and low, then gave in with a shrug that was far gentler than it should have been.
“Alright then.”
Ayda jumped and grabbed Iris’ hand again, and Iris chuckled as they began discussing what she would need to bring for the journey.
Elarion followed slowly behind, watching the two of them. His thoughts were a quiet mess. Maybe it was foolish. Maybe it would be complicated.
But he did not mind the idea of being able to get to know Iris a little more. There was something about her laughter, the way she met the world without hesitation, that made him want to linger just a little longer. It was not what he had planned, and it might not be simple, but he would deal with whatever came once they reached the grove. For now, a little more time in her company did not sound like a burden at all.